One Last Try
by All Hail King Scar
Summary: Kiara was told all her life that the hyenas are vile, evil creatures. But when she meets a blinded Shenzi, she becomes convinced the hyenas aren't as bad as she was told. A tale of redemption, survival, and forgiveness, the survival of the hyenas rests on Kiara's shoulders. Characters- Shenzi, Banzai, Ed, Kiara, Kovu, Simba, Nala, and a few OC's
1. Chapter 1

One Last Try

 **I got this idea from a story called 'A Light for everyone' by Alex Draco. The beginning of this story is similar to the beginning of his. However, my story goes in a bit of a different direction. But it was inspired by that story! You should go check it out, it's very well written in my opinion. One more thing. I am using some of Tearthgrrl OC's, just because they really add to the story. Tearthgrrl hasn't added anythig to her profile for three years now, so I figured it would be okay to use some of her OC's. But credit where it's due!**

 **Tearthgrrl OC's:**

 **Maumbu- Eds big brother, a healer, sort of like Rafiki.**

 **Hasina- Maumbu's mate**

 **Anyways, on with the fanfic!**

Kiara nuzzled up to Kovu, who was sleeping beside her. It had been a few months since the outlanders had finally relented and joined Simba's pride to end the fatal hostilities. There had been more than one argument between the lions since then, as although they were now officially pridelanders, many of the former outlanders still thought of themselves as a different group. It was a job to try to cool hot heads every single day, and it was wearing Kiara and Kovu down. Although they were in love, even they still had differences that popped up every once in awhile. Fortunately, in the past few weeks many of the pridelanders were able to come up with compromises with the new additions to the pride. But even so, it was slow going. Kiara slowly opened her eyes, unable to sleep. She gazed up at the stars in wonderment, marveling at the many thousands of bright lights twinkling in the dark canvass. The moon was not out tonight, but the savannah still lay bright from the light of the great kings. Kiara always had wondered how the great kings helped her father rule. She supposed that when Simba needed help, the great kings would give advice to him. It made sense that advice from them would be infallible, since they could see everywhere, and had centuries of experience. Well, they could see nearly everywhere. Their light never touched the elephant graveyard. It was as if the great kings were displeased with the hyenas. She was sure that ever since lions had roamed the land, the hyenas were shunted into the graveyard, since the hyenas would always over hunt.

Made tired by her heavy thoughts, kiara decided to curl up, and make one more attempt to go asleep. After a few yawns, she managed to close her eyes, and fell asleep to the sound of Kovu's breathing.

That morning, Kovu got up and stretched, opening his mouth wide and pushing his legs forward. He turned to wake Kiara, but was unsurprised when he saw she was not there. She's probably off hunting, he thought to himself, as he slowly trudged out of the den. Suddenly, he felt a large object jump into him from the side, bowling him over onto his back.

"Pinned ya" laughed Kiara, as she jumped off him and rolled over onto her back, stretching out her legs as she lay there.

"Okay, no fair. You got me by surprise! How was I supposed to know you were lying in wait outside the den!" Replied Kovu as he got back up on his forelegs.

"You weren't, though that was the point" giggled Kiara, as she walked back up to Kovu. "Anyways, you know we have the morning patrol today, so I decided to wake you up faster!"

"Oh no, morning patrol!, I forgot we had that today!" Replied Kovu, as he suddenly remembered the duties they were assigned by Simba yesterday. "We got to get on that!"

"Don't worry Kovu, we don't have to leave for another few minutes, we can still quick grab a bite to eat first."

"Well, I just don't want to disappoint Simba, if I'm late for a patrol, he'd chew me out!" Worried Kovu, as he nervously bounced up and down.

"Well, I don't think you have anything to be worried about, besides, even if you got in trouble, I would get you out of it! After all, I am his daughter. I bet I could smooth talk him or something" said kiara, as she turned around and started to walk towards pride rock. Kovu quickly followed.

After a few minutes of silence, Kiara got bored. She tapped Kovu on his shoulder, and before he could ask what she wanted, she blurted out, "race ya there!" as she took off sprinting towards the rest of the pride.

"You're not getting away that easily!" Yelled Kovu as he raced to catch up. Despite his best efforts, Kiara had a huge lead, and by the time he finally reached pride rock, she was already sitting there, licking herself and feigning boredom.

"Well, slowpoke, what took you so long?" She teased.

"You, huff, didn't ,huff, give me a chance!" Replied Kovu, as he was gasping for air.

"Well, it's not my fault you are just really out of shape", teased Kiara."I thought life in the outlands was tough! I thought you had to train and do exercises all day" giggled Kiara

"Its , huff, its, been awhile". Kovu gasped out, as he lay down.

"Well, hurry up, or we'll be late to receive our patrol!" Laughed Kiara, as she bounded up the rocks to the den where Simba awaited them.

Shenzi was starving. They all were. Ever since the hyenas had been chased out of the Pridelands after the death of King Scar, they had been forced to lay low in the Elephant Graveyard, hiding from the vengeful pridelanders and outlanders. Not once in the last three years had a single hyena left the Graveyard, and very few dared to make their homes outside of the deepest ravines and caves among the bones. Even now, three whole years later, there were only fifty hyenas left in her clan. Their numbers had never recovered after the fateful fire at Pride Rock, and the food situation prohibited any growth. Most food that was found came in small increments, like a stray mouse, or perhaps a dying bird that was unfortunate enough to land in the Graveyard. But no matter how hard they tried, they never could find enough food to feed themselves. Pups whimpered at their mother's bellies, unable to satisfy their hunger. And not a month went by when an older hyena didn't die from a disease he was too weak to fight off. Shenzi knew if they didn't do something to improve their situation soon, her entire clan would soon die off. But they were fenced in. The Outlands were little better off in food, the Pridelands were filled with hostile lions, and a desert surrounded the back end of the Graveyard. There was nowhere to go, and even if they attempted a desert crossing, they were so weak, Shenzi doubted they could walk for more than a day or two. Her ribs were showing, and she had circles under her eyes from lack of sleep. Unfortunately, she hadn't been able to get to bed lately, as she had been up for the past four days, desperately trying to find some sort of food for the hungry pups in her clan. She hadn't even eaten for the past eight days, her last meal being the leftovers of a dead hawk Banzai had found. So it was slowly and carefully that she made her way down to her den, to try to find Ed and Banzai and try to convince them to go try to find some food with her. They were both hungry and tired as well, and probably just wanted to get some sleep. Sighing, she entered the cave in which most of her hyena companions were living.

"Hey, Banzai! Come here!" Ordered Shenzi, as she spotted him trying to sleep on a flat stone, which lay next to two active steam geysers. The geysers were good for warmth, but the water that boiled within them was too hot to try to drink, and was poisoned by some sort of green algae. The steam itself was safe to breath, but the water had proved deadly in the past. To drink the water from the geysers even after it had cooled off was very risky.

"What is it Shenzi?" Replied Banzai sleepily, as he slowly trudged over to where he was called. Just like everyone else, his eyes were sunken in, and his skin rubbed up against his bones as if he had never even seen a meal in his life.

"Stop sleeping already! We gotta get get some food to fill up Maumbu's stores!" Replied the exhausted matriarch. Maumbu was the healer in the clan, if anyone had an ailment, they would go to him. He had been briefly taught by Rafiki, and had some extensive knowledge on how to cure headaches and other pains. However, lately his main problem were the stomach aches. All he could ever do about that was give the patient food. His food stores took priority due to his important duties, but even they were running dangerously low.

"Yeah yeah, just give me a moment, my stomach hurts. Nothing I can do about that though… It feels as if I swallowed an empty sack, and it's bouncing against my ribcage." Grumbled Banzai. "Well,,,,,, let me go get Ed". Banzai turned around slowly and teetered off to find where Ed was sleeping. Shenzi grumbled to herself. She had a would have had a stomache ache as well, but she had grown so used to having so little food, at this point the pain was barely even noticeable. However, she still needed to be fed. She could feel the lack of nutrients taking its toll, as she was hardly able to walk without getting dizzy. Perhaps she shouldn't have given all her food to starving pups. But she felt those pups took priority over her, she was the leader after all, and she had to protect her clan whatever the cost, even if it meant depriving herself of food.

"Ugh,,, hurry up Banzai!" Shenzi muttered. The male hyena had been gone for a few minutes,and she hadn't seen him or Ed return yet. Just then, she heard sputtering giggle behind her. "Oh, hey Ed" she said, as she turned around to meet the one hyena who would find their current situation humerous. Of course, he found everything humorous, he could never stop giggling his demented sort of laugh. Ed sputtered again, this time to signal the approach of another hyena.

"I couldn't find Ed Shenzi!" Maybe he's over by the red geysers again or something."

"Actually, Banzai, it seems you were too slow" smirked Shenzi, as she stepped aside to let Banzai see their laughing partner.

"Oh, there he is. Why didn't you tell me he was there in the first place? I could have avoided nearly tripping into a crevice on my way back here." Replied Banzai, as he rolled his eyes.

"Because, Banzai, he just showed up. Now come on, we have to help Maumbu get some more food to give to his patients. Goodness knows they need it." Said Shenzi.

"Yeah, well how about you? I haven't seen you eat anything in days Shenzi! I mean, look at you, you're even thinner than the rest of us, and that's saying something! Come on, if we catch anything, you should be the one to eat it." Said Banzai, with a bit of a worried look on his face.

"No Banzai, I'm fine. I really don't need anything right now, really." Although the sudden bout of dizziness that overtook her at that moment was telling her otherwise. Banzai watched Shenzi wobble a little bit with her eyes half closed. Shenzi knew her argument did not look very convincing.

"Come on Shenzi, promise that whatever it is we catch, you will be the one to eat it. We can't have our Matriarch die from hunger you know." Retorted Banzai. Shenzi sighed. She knew he was right, but there were pups who were starving that needed that food! However, she had to eat sometime.

"Alright fine. You win. Now can we get a move on here!" Replied an agitated Shenzi.

They all turned towards the cave mouth, and trudged towards the exit.

 **Well, that's the first chapter! I hope you enjoyed it. This is my first fanfic, so please try not to flame. Constructive criticism accepted**!


	2. Patrols and hunger

**I got this idea from a story called 'A Light for everyone' by Alex Draco. The beginning of this story is similar to the beginning of his. However, my story goes in a bit of a different direction. But it was inspired by that story! You should go check it out, it's very well written in my opinion. One more thing. I am using some of Tearthgrrl OC's, just because they really add to the story. Tearthgrrl hasn't added anything to her profile for three years now, so I figured it would be okay to use some of her OC's. But credit where it's due!**

 **Tearthgrrl OC's:**

 **Maumbu- Eds big brother, a healer, sort of like Rafiki.**

 **Hasina- Maumbu's mate**

 **Anyways, on with the fanfic!**

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Kiara and Kovu were on their patrol, skimming the western border of the Pridelands. Earlier that day, Simba had assigned this area to them, and Kiara knew Kovu was determined not to fail. He feared disappointing Simba, ever since he had been accused of being a spy and was banished. Kiara had gotten Simba to trust Kovu since then, but she knew he didn't want to undergo that experience again.

"Hey Kiara, hurry up!" Yelled Kovu. Kiara looked up, and realized she had been standing still. Kovu was already some forty paces ahead of her, and he was glancing back, yelling at her.

"Oh, sorry. Wait up!" She replied, as she ran to catch up to Kovu.

"You know, I thought you were the faster one. But now I see that's only in physical speed!" Teased Kovu.

"Hey! I am not slow! I was just thinking!" Replied Kiara.

"Yeah, about what?" Said Kovu, with a smirk still across his face.

"Nothing much, mainly just about this patrol." Confessed Kiara.

"Why? This patrol is the easiest one of the bunch! All we have to do is walk alongside the border! Literally nothing else. We don't have to watch for intruders, we don't have to mark locations, all because there is nobody in the Elephant Graveyard! Not since the hyenas were chased off, the mongrels they are." Kovu replied.

" I suppose you're right," sighed Kiara. He really was. The western borders had no foes waiting on the other side, and no animals would ever take up residence among the barren bones. Just then, as she stared at the Elephantine remains, she saw a flash of movement, a dusty gray pelt lept from behind one rock to behind another. Eyes narrowing, she continued to stare at the spot she saw the animal disappear. However, she didn't see it resurface, and was unable to spot what sort of creature it was.

"What is it Kiara? What did you see?" Asked Kovu, for he realized that Kiara was staring into the Graveyard.

"Nothing Kovu, nothing" replied Kiara, clearly distracted. She knew she had seen something, but what animal would take up residence in the most barren part of the region?

" You don't seem so sure of yourself,,," trailed off Kovu.

"No really, its nothing. I just thought I had seen something. But I suppose it must have just been the wind blowing some dead grass through the rocks." Lied Kiara. She knew that wasn't what she had saw. She would have to check it out later, later tonight.

"Oh. I then suppose that is just what it was. Well then, let's continue on. I'm hungry, I want to finish this and then grab some of the lionesses kills. Hopefully they brought back wildebeest!" Mused Kovu.

"All right then, let's finish it quickly. But first,," Kiara paused beside Kovu. "I'll race ya there!" She tagged him on the shoulder, then took off into the savannah.

"Not again!" Grumbled Kovu, as he ran to catch up to kiara.

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Banzai knew Shenzi had not eaten once in the past week. Even with the limited meals they already had, Shenzi was starving herself way further than she had to. He knew she felt responsible for getting everyone enough food as the clan matriarch, but even she had to eat. He saw that Shenzi was barely able to walk, much less hunt, but still she pushed herself farther than he ever would be able to. He admired that in her. Actually, he admired a lot more than that, but he would never admit it to her. She would never like him in _that_ sort of way,,, that much had been made clear to him during all his years of growing up with her. They had met when they were only about a year old(in hyena years) and had become friends since. However, she had always criticised those that had gotten themselves mates, much to a more mature Banzai's dismay. He had long ago given up the possibility of having Shenzi as a mate, but he still wished sometimes that Shenzi would fall in love with him someday.

A sputtering laugh brought him back to reality. Ed bounced up and down, pointing at a small crack in the side of the crevice they were walking in.

"What is it Ed?" Asked Shenzi, as she walked up to the spot where Ed was pointing. Banzai went up to it as well, and peered inside.

"Hey, I can see some lizards in there!" He exclaimed excitedly. Lizards! Their skin was scaly and inedible, but if you tore that away, there was soft meat on the inside! And here he had found a whole family of lizards!

"Really? Lizards?" Shenzi perked up.

"Yeah, there seems to be a whole group of them down there!"

"Let me see". Shenzi gave a half hearted push against Banzai, to which Banzai backed away. Shenzi peered down the miniature crevice. "This is great! With all of those lizards, we'll be able to replenish Maumbu's food supplies!" She said.

"And," Banzai added, "You will finally get something to eat." Ed laughed in agreement.

"How many times do I have to tell you, I am fine!" retorted Shenzi. But Banzai knew she was not. He knew she had to have some food soon. He could tell Shenzi was barely standing as it was.

"No, your not Shenzi. You need to eat something! No hyena can go for more than a week without food!"

"Banzai. I know you think that you know what I need. But you are not me. I know when I need to eat, and when I don't. Right now, I am fine I can assure you."

"But Shenzi!"

"Will you just shut up Banzai! Shut up!" Shenzi growled as she tried to swat him upside the head. The swing was feeble however, and Banzai sidestepped it.

"Come one Shenzi, just one of these lizards will do you good!" As they had been arguing, Ed had been scooping out the lizards from the crack and killing them with a blow to the spine. Already he had amassed thirteen lizards, and was piling them up.

"I. Am. Fine." Spat Shenzi. Just then, her stomach let loose an almighty growl that echoed of the crevice walls. Banzai cocked an eyebrow."Okay! Okay! Alright! I'll take one of these stupid reptiles!" Relented Shenzi. She stepped up to the pile and snagged a plump lizard with her claws. "Now take those lizards to Maumbu! And hurry it up!"she snarled. Banzai saw Shenzi turn around with the lizard in her mouth, and slowly trudge away. Sighing, he grabbed a brace of lizards in his jaws and motioned for Ed to do the same. Once they had all the green reptiles, they went of to go find Maumbu's den.

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Shenzi was extremely dizzy. Lack of nutrients did that to you. She knew Banzai was right, that she should eat something, but all she could think of at that moment was that Hasina, Maumbu's mate, had recently had another pup. The clan needed all of its pups, and if Shenzi wanted to increase its chances for survival, helping to feed the mother with the milk would help.

So she walked off to Hasina's den, trying to ignore spinning feeling she had. Eventually, she found herself standing in front of her friends den.

"Hello? Hasina?" She called.

"Yes? Who's there?" Came a voice from within the den. The voice sounded tired, even more exhausted than Shenzi felt. She supposed giving birth a few days before did that to you.

"Hello Hasina" Shenzi replied, trying to put on a warm smile.

"Oh! Hello matriarch Shenzi! What can I do for you? Hasina replied.

"Don't worry, this isn't a formal visit. I just came to check up on you and to give you something."

Shenzi produced the lizard with her paw and pushed it forward to Hasina. "Where is the new arrival?"

"He's right here" Hasina replied somewhat proudly, as she lifted her leg to show a healthy male hyena pup suckling on his mother's milk.

"Congratulations Hasina! It seems to be doing well." Shenzi looked down on the pup with warmth, knowing that this pup was part of the future of her clan.

"Thank you Shenzi! And many thanks for the lizard, It'll help with the milk."

"Your welcome Hasina. Goodbye!" Said Shenzi as she turned around and exited the den. Immediately after leaving, Shenzi was hit with another bout of dizziness. Groaning, she stumbled to one side, and fell over. Her stomach and head were starting to throb. "Ugh,,, I should have listened to Banzai." She muttered to herself. She got up unsteadily, and stumbled off, desperate to find something, anything to eat.

She was walking next to the geysers, when she tripped on a rock and fell forward. She found herself staring down a green steam geyser. With amazement, she saw floating in the bubbling green water, one of the lizards Banzai had caught earlier that day! Greedily, she hooked it with her claws. Banzai or Ed must have accidentally dropped it in as they were carrying them to Maumbu. She tore the skin off, seeing the soft flesh beneath. She was just about to take a bite when she realized where she had found it. The lizard had been floating in one of the green geysers! The water in those geysers was poisoned! Groaning, Shenzi started to throw it away. But, she couldn't get herself to do it! She was starving!

"Well, I suppose a small bite couldn't hurt,,," she mumbled to herself. She took a little bit of the lizard and swallowed. It was heavenly! She quickly took another bite of the lizard. And another, and another, until the lizard was nothing but skin and bones. She licked the bones and skin, trying her best to get every last bit of meat on the reptile. Once she was done, she got up, feeling partially satisfied. She still felt hungry, but it was once again bearable. Staring at the lizards remains, her eyes wandered over to the geyser she had fished it from. Oh no! She had just eaten an animal that was floating in the geysers water! There was some sort of poison in it, she knew, for any time someone had drank the water, they had died soon after. But, she hadn't really _drank_ it had she? No, she hadn't. She might have sipped a little in along with the lizard, but that was a small amount. Perhaps she was alright, she reasoned. Yeah, she was probably fine. No reason to worry. Shenzi smirked as she left the cave in which she was standing. She had no reason to worry.

She had barely made it five paces from the mouth of the cave before she started feeling nauseous.

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 **Looks like Shenzi might be in a little bit of trouble! Also, it seems Kiara plans to go and explore the Elephant Graveyard! Will she discover the hyenas?**

 **Constructive criticism accepted! No flaming!**


	3. Poison and rescue

**I got this idea from a story called 'A Light for everyone' by Alex Draco. The beginning of this story is similar to the beginning of his. However, my story goes in a bit of a different direction. But it was inspired by that story! You should go check it out, it's very well written in my opinion. One more thing. I am using some of Tearthgrrl OC's, just because they really add to the story. Tearthgrrl hasn't added anything to her profile for three years now, so I figured it would be okay to use some of her OC's. But credit where it's due!**

 **Tearthgrrl OC's:**

 **Maumbu- Eds big brother, a healer, sort of like Rafiki.**

 **Hasina- Maumbu's mate**

 **By the way, I apologize for the short chapters up until now. I promise to try to get some longer, better edited ones up from now on. And whenever you see this: ()()()(), it means the point of view is changing.**

 **Anyways, on with the fanfic!**

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Kiara knew she shouldn't be doing this. Going out to explore without telling anyone could end badly. She remembered the story her father used to tell her as a warning against such things. Apparently, when Simba was a cub, he and Nala had snuck away to explore the Elephant Graveyard as well, and they had nearly gotten eaten for it. But that was because they had been cornered by hyenas. There were no hyenas in the Graveyard now, were there? But that was the problem. That afternoon, while on patrol with Kovu, Kiara had seen a dusty gray pelt moving among the elephant skulls. She hadn't been able to make out what sort of animal it was, but she was sure that if it was a hyena, Simba would want to know. Unfortunately, she didn't want anyone else coming with her to check it out. If she asked someone to help her, they would only tell her to stay back while they themselves went to go find the mystery creature. Kiara wanted to know for certain what the animal was, and what it was doing among the bones, if it still remained in the area.

Kiara carefully tiptoed out of the den and began to descend Pride Rock. It was the tallest structure anywhere in the pridelands, and it housed the the royal lion family, along with the rest of the lions. Kiara often felt joy when looking at Pride Rock from a distance, as it was so majestic to look at, and she felt so proud knowing it was her home. Kiara crept onto the savannah. In case any lions were awake and watching, she did not want to be seen. The night sky was covered in clouds, blanketing the Pridelands in darkness. Not even the great king's stars shone through. On nights like this, she often felt alone. But she decided to press on, knowing she had to get to the western border. The night was still young, so she had plenty of time.

Once she moved out of view range of her majestic home, Kiara accelerated to a quick jog. There was a slight breeze blowing across the plain, gently swishing the grass back and forth. It was a welcome relief on warmer nights such as this.

After a few minutes of silent running, Kiara stopped. She had arrived at the western border, and was standing at the top of a small ridge that overlooked the graveyard. She wondered why elephants came here to die anyway. It seemed a bit too far away to drag oneself before they died! When a lion died, they buried them near Pride Rock. But that was a lot easier that coming all the way out here just to die! Oh well, she thought. It didn't really matter much.

Kiara slid down the edge of the ridge. It was around here where she had seen the animal. Kiara sniffed the air, hoping to catch a scent. The smell of decay filled her nostrils, and Kiara wrinkled her nose in disgust. If there was nobody here, she would turn around and go home. No point in spending time pointlessly.

Kiara took a few tentative steps toward a giant skull. The Elephant that died here must have been huge! Kiara peeked inside through one of its eye slits. Nope, no brains in there. Kiara stepped out, and continued on her way further into the sea of bones. She saw a lot of other animals skeletons, including wildebeest, zebra, and antelope. How had those animals gotten here? Maybe when the hyenas still resided here, they had caught them, and dragged the carcasses back home to be eaten. Kiara hopped onto the top of a rock pile and took a look around. She saw no movement anywhere, the place seemed to be completely deserted. Turning around, she saw the Pridelands behind her, way off into the distance.

Boy, she was quite a ways from the border! She must have been distracted, and hadn't realized how far in she had wandered. Slightly worried, Kiara began to walk back the way she came. She had only taken a few steps, before suddenly, she heard a loud moan behind her.

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Shenzi had barely taken a step before she was again racked with pain. Her stomach and chest throbbed, and she had a monster of a headache. She stumbled forward, and fell over to clutch her stomach. "Ooooh" she groaned. She should never have eaten that lizard! It had been floating in one of the green geysers, and the water in those geysers was poisonous! Her headache increased, and her vision swam in front of her, becoming foggy. She tried to walk, but was prohibited by her vision. It felt like her eyes were being poked, and she clenched her teeth to try to distract herself from the pain. She had to get to Maumbu's den! He was the clan healer, he had to have something to make the pain go away! She stumbled again, hitting her head against a rock. Unfortunately, this made the already splitting headache worse! She tried to ignore it, but it felt as if her skull was about to melt. She let out another groan, trying to see clearly. She saw black spots appear on her vision. She curled up into a ball, and lay there, trying to ride the pain out.

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Kiara perked her ears up. She knew she had heard something! Suddenly, another moan rang out from between the stones. Whatever it was, it was in pain, and probably needed help! Kiara bounded toward the noise, as the creature continued let loose more sounds of agony.

"Hello? Is anyone there?" She called, in an attempt to try to find the animal. The sounds immediately stopped. "Hello?" She called again. No sounds came from among the bones. Kiara jumped down into a crevice, trying to locate where the moans had come from. She ran forward, looking left and right into different caves. Once again, she smelled the air, trying to pick up a scent. This time, a strange smell filled her nostrils. Hoping the scent belonged to the animal in need, she followed it further into the crevice.

She rounded a corner, and came face to face with the scrawniest creature she had ever seen. Its eyes were sunken in, and red from exhaustion. Its ribs were showing, and its skin sagged from the bones that looked as if they would poke through the skin. It had no fat on it whatsoever, and looked to be barely standing. Its expression was that of a scowl, but with anger and determination.

"Lion." The hyena spat in disgust. Its voice tried to sound angry, but failed to scare Kiara. "What are you doing here?" It accused her. Just then, she saw the hyena start to shake. It closed its eyes in a grimace, and pain flashed across its features. The hyena started to shake, convulsing as spasms racked its body. After a few seconds of pained grunting, the shaking stopped, and the hyena spat out some blood. After it recovered, it turned back to look at Kiara and asked again, "I said, what, are you, doing, in the Graveyard?" as it took labored pauses in between words.

"Ummmm, well, I was just, uhh, exploring." Kiara offered. "And I heard somebody moaning in pain, so I went to go see who it was, and well, I found you."

"I was not moaning. I never made a sound. I am fine, I can assure you. Now, if you would get out of my way, i'll be going." The hyena replied sarcastically with as much effort as it could manage. Kiara didn't buy it. She had just seen it convulsing painfully, it must be sick.

"You don't seem fine to me" Kiara said.

"Mind your own business!" The hyena retorted. "Now if you will just,,," it stopped there, because just then it let out another groan. The hyena laid down, and put its paws to its head, moaning as it did so. It got back up, its eyes shut tight in pain. Then it started shaking again, and Kiara watched in horror as it collapsed onto the ground and started convulsing again, this time more violently. It started to scream in pain, and Kiara looked away, unwilling to listen to its cries of agony.

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Shenzi couldn't take it! It felt as if someone was taking a burning branch, and holding it against her skull! And, at the same time they were shoving a stick through her eyes! She screamed, and tried not to move, but her muscles refused to respond, and instead spasmed throughout her body. She put her paws on her head, and tried to fruitlessly stop her headache. Now it felt as if her eyes were being slowly scratched out! She tossed and turned, helplessly writhing on the ground. Her eyes continued to burn in pain. After a few seemingly endless minutes of agony, the pain increased, and Shenzi passed out.

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Kiara heard the screaming stop. She turned around and looked down at the unconscious hyena, who was still twitching slightly. She put her paw against its chest, to feel for heartbeat. After a few seconds of waiting, she detected a faint thumping in its chest. It was still alive! She had to save it.

Upon closer inspection, Kiara realized the hyena was a female. Kiara didn't know much of hyena society, but she had heard that the females held dominance over the males. They even had a female ruler, called a matriarch! How different from having a king. In the pride, there had to be a male successor, unless no royal males were born. Only then could there be a queen. Perhaps that was one of the reasons the lions and hyenas had clashed so much over the years, kiara thought.

Turning her thoughts back to the moment at hand, she knew she had to try to save the hyena. It was obviously very sick. If she didn't get it some help soon, it could die! Kiara grabbed the hyena at the scruff of its neck with her teeth. The started to walk backward, dragging the body along with her. It was slow going, but eventually she got it back to the ridge where she had originally entered. As she stared up the slope, Kiara wondered how she was ever going to drag it all the way up there! As she sat there, thinking underneath the night sky, she realized that perhaps she could drape the hyena over her shoulders, and then climb back up the normal way.

Scooping the unconscious female onto her back, Kiara prepared to run up the side of the ridge. Backing up slowly, careful not to let her load slide off, she braced herself, then ran forward as fast as she could. She started to climb the slope, and at first she could keep the pace upward steady. But the extra weight slowed her down, and she felt herself start to slide. Not wanting to have to try again, Kiara gave a powerful push with her hind legs, and grabbed the edge with her forepaw. Hauling herself and the hyena up, Kiara set down her load and sat still for a second, catching her breath.

She wondered how she was supposed to help the hyena now. She had gotten it here, but what now? She couldn't take it to Pride Rock, the lions hated hyenas for some reason. A bigger problem was that she didn't know what exactly was wrong with the hyena. So even if she gave it shelter, it might still die from whatever disease was hurting it. Kiara realized, to her dismay, that she couldn't even take it to Rafiki, because he would tell Simba about it in a heartbeat.

She got up and draped the female hyena over her shoulders again. She decided that the best thing she could do at the moment was take it someplace safe, and hope it would recover on its own strength. Kiara couldn't sustain any pace faster than a jog with the extra weight, so she started to walk towards an old den that lay out of the way of most lionesses patrols. After some time had passed, Kiara arrived at the small cave, and walked inside.

The last time she had been here was when she was still a cub. She had gotten lost, and wandered the Pridelands until she had found this unused den. Tired from being lost, she had slept out the night here, and had been found by Pumbaa that morning. She knew this place was secure, no animals used routes close to this area, and the watering holes were further east. Kiara set down the hyena and again out her paw against its chest to feel for a heartbeat. By now the hyena had stopped twitching, and lay perfectly still, except for its chest slowly rising and falling as it took a breath.

Now able to look at the hyena while it was lying completely still, Kiara saw just how skinny it was. She wondered when was the last time it had eaten a full meal. Prodding its chest, she felt bones directly beneath the skin, unlike a well fed lion, who had a layer of flesh and fat in between skin and bone. Kiara concluded the best thing she could do far the hyena was get it some food. It was very clearly starved. So she exited the cave and went to go find a sleeping animal she could snag. She returned some time later, with a wildebeest's leg in her jaws. She set down the meat in front of the hyena, and then ran back to Pride Rock, hoping to get back in time before someone noticed her absence. She would come back here tomorrow, hopefully by then the female hyena would have woken up.

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That morning, Banzai sat in Maumbu's den, talking to the clan healer.

"So, Maumbu, how is that pile of lizards we gave ya shaping up?" He asked.

"Well Banzai, they came at just the right moment. Since last night, five hyenas have been in here, complaining about dizziness. Of course it's always the same old thing, they are simply hungry and don't have enough to eat. So I gave them each a lizard and sent them on their way. Oh, how I miss the good old days when people only came in here because they were sick." He grumbled. "Now, half the time they come in here it's just because they are starving, and the other half of the time it is because they are too weak to fight off the common cold. Truth be told, the number of patients I'm getting is increasing, and I'm able to help fewer and fewer of them." He paused. "Just last week we lost another litter of pups because there wasn't enough milk for them." He finished in sorrow.

Banzai rubbed his forehead. "There has got to be something we can to do save what's left of us hyenas!" He said.

"Don't I wish, replied Maumbu. "All of our problems boil down to one single cause: there just isn't enough food in the godforsaken graveyard! We can't hunt in the Pridelands without getting our throats torn out, we can't try to leave through the desert because we aren't strong enough, and we sure can't stay here, where we are slowly killing ourselves!" Maumbu cursed.

Banzai had a headache, for once for a different reason than hunger. He couldn't think of any possible way the hyenas could survive the years ahead. He feared that perhaps Maumbu was right, that the hyenas were doomed ever since their forced exodus of the Pridelands.

"We can't give up, I'm sure Shenzi will get us through this, she's the smart one." Replied Banzai. It was true, Shenzi was the smartest of them, it was why she was the matriarch of the clan. Just then, Ed bounced up to them and started sputtering and gesturing back the way he came.

"Great, my idiot brother is here" mumbled Maumbu, as he turned around to walk back into his den. "You two have fun catching up!" He called back behind him. Rolling his eyes, Banzai turned back to Ed, to try to make out what Ed was trying to communicate. Ed made a few facial expressions that Banzai recognized as 'worried', 'exploring', and 'confusion'. Anyone other than him or Shenzi could not have made heads or tails of it, but Banzai realized Ed must not be able to find Shenzi.

"Don't worry Ed. I'm sure Shenzi is just sleeping in a cave someplace. She certainly needs the rest." Ed sputtered again. "Really Ed, I'm sure she's fine. She can't stop yelling at us that she doesn't need our help anyway."

Banzai started to walk away, leaving Ed reassured. He hoped Shenzi really was sleeping, and not driving herself into the ground like normal. She definitely needed her sleep. Yawning, Banzai figured he needed some sleep as well. He slunk off to find a warm geyser where he could curl up and sleep without disturbance. He figured in a few hours Shenzi would find him and wake him up, and the old hunting grind would begin again. "I Hope you have sweet dreams Shenzi, wherever you are" he whispered to himself with a smile, as he sat down, and began to snore.

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 **Phew! That chapter took a few hours to write! Glad it's done. Anyways, it looks like Shenzi really got sick. I'm still trying to decide what exactly the poison should do to her. Just expect something that Shenzi will hate. Anyways, if you liked this chapter, review! Constructive criticism accepted. No flaming!**


	4. Blindess and Talk

**I got this idea from a story called 'A Light for everyone' by Alex Draco. The beginning of this story is similar to the beginning of his. However, my story goes in a bit of a different direction. But it was inspired by that story! You should go check it out, it's very well written in my opinion. One more thing. I am using some of Tearthgrrl OC's, just because they really add to the story. Tearthgrrl hasn't added anything to her profile for three years now, so I figured it would be okay to use some of her OC's. But credit where it's due!**

 **Tearthgrrl OC's:**

 **Maumbu- Eds big brother, a healer, sort of like Rafiki.**

 **Hasina- Maumbu's mate**

 **By the way, whenever you see : ()()()()()()(()(())(), it means the point of view is changing. And just to be clear, the first part of the story is from Shenzi's POV and is in a dream shenzi is having. Also, I did some research and it turns out that even if a person is totally blind, they will still be able to see random lights and colors, those lights and colors just don't correspond to what is actually in front of them. But for the purpose of this story, total blindness will mean that all the person will be able to see is darkness. No lights or colors, just a black void.**

 **Anyways, on with the fanfic!**

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The last thing Shenzi had remembered thinking was how much longer she would last before she passed out. The last thing she remembered was feeling as if someone was cracking her skull open, and tearing out her eyes while they were doing it. But now, Shenzi was dreaming.

She knew it was a dream. At the edges of her vision, there was a tell tale blurred area, that meant this was not reality. Shenzi was in the Elephant Graveyard, sitting atop the skull of a long dead elephant. She didn't know what the dream was trying to show her. So she just sat there, listening to herself breathe. The sky overhead was bright blue, which bothered Shenzi. She didn't remember a day when the sky wasn't overcast with dark clouds in the graveyard, so the sudden openness unnerved her.

Suddenly, she heard a small roar. A _really_ small roar. It sounded as if it had come from a small kitten! Twitching her ear in annoyance, she supposed she should go see what it was. Hopping down, she went off in the direction the noise had come from. Picking her way through a ribcage, Shenzi slowly slid down the side of a ridge. Arriving at the bottom, she took a sniff, filling her nostrils with a scent she knew all _too_ well. Lions. Grumbling, Shenzi supposed nothing bad could happen to her in a dream. Following the scent, she came upon a deep hole in the ground. From within the hole, she heard sounds of scrabbling, as of something was trying to get out. She crept to the edge and took a peek over the side. Staring up at her, was a brown pelted lion cub, with the begins of a black mane. Her eyes widened, and she drew herself up in realization. That lion cub, she knew that cub! She had seen it before, years ago when she herself was still a hyena pup!

"Hello? Can you help me? I'm stuck down here! Please help!" The cub called up to her, its tone of voice sounding desperate. Shenzi had a scowl on her face, frowning down at the helpless cub. She remembered that face all too well. It was Taka, before he became Scar. Years ago, Taka had wandered into to Graveyard to explore, and had gotten stuck in this same hole when he accidentally fell in. Shenzi had found him, and pulled him out. Since she was still a pup, and hadn't yet developed a hatred for lions, she befriended Taka, and soon she introduced Banzai and Ed to him as well. The four of them met nearly every day, since Taka didn't have any lion friends, except for his brother Mufasa, who was always training with his father, Ahadi. Those early days were the best, as Taka often brought with him some meat the hyenas could chow down on. They had talked a lot, and Taka was horrified at the living conditions Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed had to live in. He said that if he became king, he would let the hyenas back into the Pridelands, where food wasn't so scarce. Of course, he kept his promise years later, but by then he was Scar, and only continued his friendship with the hyenas because they helped him stay in power.

"Hello? Is someone up there?" Called Taka again, shaking Shenzi out of her reverie. She hated Scar, he had betrayed them. But this was still Taka, the one lion who actually became friends with a hyena! Shenzi wondered why the dream was showing her this. All it did was make her bitter, reminding her of the days when friends were still friends. She supposed she should rescue Taka in the dream as well, and see what would happen.

"Yeah, I'm up here, give me a second and I'll pull you out of there."

"You're going to help me? Oh thank you! I was going to starve down there! I fell in earlier today while exploring, and I couldn't get out!" Taka explained.

"Yeah, well it seems you were exploring a bit too far from your comfort zone." Responded Shenzi. She grabbed the thigh bone of an antelope, and held it down to Taka for him to grab on to. He reached up, and hooked the bone with his claws. Once he had a secure grip, Shenzi hauled him up and out.

"Yes! I'm free! Hooray!" Taka cried, as he pranced back and forth celebrating his victory.

"If I may ask, what were you, a lion cub, doing so far from Pride Rock?" Shenzi asked, already knowing the answer.

Just as she expected, Taka's ears drooped as he stopped prancing and looked down at the ground. "Well, I don't have anyone to play with, so I was all alone and and had nothing to do. So I decided to go exploring."

"No one to play with? Why not? Don't you have any friends?"

"I have a brother, but he's always with my father, learning things. Ahadi won't ever take me with them, so I can learn things too. The other cubs won't play with me either, and I'm not sure why. I think they think I'm stuck up, being the king's son and all, but they won't even give me a chance! And my mom, Uru, who normally plays with me, is off hunting. So, no, I don't really have any friends,,,," Taka trailed off pitifully.

Sighing, Shenzi remembered what she did the last time this happened, when it was in reality and not a dream. Last time she had offered to play with him, and they had fun exploring the elephant skulls for the rest of the day. But this time it was just a dream, so what she did here would have no bearing on her life. Shenzi decided to cut the meeting short this time.

"Sorry about your lack of playmates kid, but it seems to me like you need have bigger problems."

"Like what?" Taka asked.

"Well, you seem rather lost"

"I'm not lost!"

"Hmm? Prove it. Which way did you come from."

Taka looked around questioningly, seeming to finally take in his surroundings. "Well,,,, ummm,,,,,, I came from,,, that way!" He replied, pointing further into the graveyard.

"Nice try, but that doesn't lead anywhere. Your Pride Rock is that way." Shenzi gestured east, pointing at the border of the graveyard. "I can show you the way, of you want." She finished.

"No, I'm fine!" Taka grumbled, as he started to walk in the direction Shenzi had pointed. Shenzi watched as he disappeared over the top of the ridge. She sat there, waiting for the dream to end. The sooner she woke up, the sooner she could get back to work.

She sat there for a long time. After what must have been hours, Shenzi decided to speed the process up. In her experience, whenever she was dreaming, hurting herself in the dream would cause her to wake up. She ran back to the top of another elephant skull. Peeking over the edge, she found herself looking down into a ravine, one of the biggest ones in the graveyard. Falling into that would surely wake her up. Taking a step back, she braced herself, and then ran forward and jumped as far as she could. She shut her eyes. She had never really been fond of heights.

She felt the air rushing past her, and she braced herself for the landing by gritting her teeth. She waited. And waited. And waited.

Shenzi opened her eyes.

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Kiara sat atop Pride Rock, at the highest point, looking out as the sun came up. She hadn't gotten any sleep last night, on account of sneaking into the Elephant Graveyard, and rescuing the sick hyena. She wondered how that hyena was doing right now. Hopefully it was getting some rest and recovering from whatever was causing it to convulse in pain. If it died, Kiara would blame herself.

As she thought about the night's happenings, another lion came up behind her.

"Hello Kiara! What are you doing up here so early?" Asked King Simba, her father.

"I'm just thinking. And watching the sunrise." Kiara replied.

"Hmm, yes, I've been up here before for that very reason, it is beautiful to see the light of the greatest king spread out across the savannah." The lions believed that the original founder of the Pridelands was in the largest star, the sun. And that his queen was the moon.

"It is very pretty."

"So, what were you thinking about?" Her father asked.

"Not much. Well, nothing important."

"You sure?"

"I'm sure."

"How are things with Kovu?"

"Just fine" Kiara answered,

"Really! Normally, if two lions get together like that, they are already fighting over the smallest things after only a few months!"

"Kovu's not like that!"

"Just wait" Simba replied, with a knowing smile on his face. They sat in silence for a few minutes, watching the land start to wake up. Birds were starting to fly about, and a herd of antelope began to bound towards the waterhole. Kiara stared at the abundant paradise. Then, her eyes were drawn to a place which was _not_ faring so well. No light shone into the Elephant Graveyard. It was a barren, empty place. Well, almost empty, Kiara realized. The hyenas had to live there, without hope of escape or mercy from the lions. Kiara remembered how skinny and starved the hyena she had rescued was. There must have been almost no food in that place! It must be a struggle every day to find food for the average hyena. So, if the conditions were so bad there, why did they have to stay there and hide from all outside contact? Why did the lions exile them in the first place? Maybe Simba would know, she thought, as the turned to her father, who was staring out at the savannah.

"Hey dad? I got a bit of a question actually,,,,"

" A question? Sure Kiara, ask away." Simba answered.

"Well, why do the hyenas have to stay inside the Elephant Graveyard all the time?"

"Hyenas! Why would you be asking about hyenas? Did one of the lionesses tell you about them?"

"Ummmm, yeah, it was, uh, one of the lionesses."

"There isn't much to know about those vile creatures." Her father spat. "They are like ticks, slowly bleeding the land dry of it's animals, and getting fatter and fatter as they do so. I don't know why they were exiled to the graveyard during my father's reign, but when Scar became king he let them back into the Pridelands. They ate all of the herds, and the Pridelands nearly became a dried up desert, devoid of life and creatures. Fortunately, when I killed Scar, we were able to drive what was left of them out. We sent raiding parties into the graveyard, and found that they were all gone. However many of them survived probably crossed the desert, and we haven't seen a single one of those vermin since."

"So, they were exiled from the Pridelands because they over hunted?

"Something like that."

"But why were they _originally_ banished from the Pridelands? Why were they exiled during Mufasa's reign?"

"They were originally exiled during the reign of Ahadi, Mufasa's father. From what I understand, they were sent to the graveyard because Ahadi thought the hyenas might have been sneaking into wildebeest grazing grounds and taking extra food."

"Wait, they were only exiled because Ahadi thought that the hyenas might have been taking extra food?" He didn't even have proof?"

"Hyenas are vermin Kiara, Ahadi didn't need a reason to send them away."

"Vermin! But, that's not fair!" Kiara exclaimed. The hyenas were exiled just because king Ahadi didn't like hyenas! They probably weren't even sneaking the extra food in the first place! No wonder hyenas hated lions so much. They had been thrown out of paradise unjustly!

"Kiara, they are hyenas for crying out loud! They don't deserve fairness! They the scum of the earth, the scourge of all creatures, and the most vile carnivores on the savannah!"

"Those aren't reasons to treat them unfairly, those are just prejudices!"

"Kiara, you were born after the last hyena was driven away from here. You haven't met them, you haven't fought them, you haven't nearly been eaten by them! They helped kill my father! They tried to eat me twice as a cub! And they helped king Scar enforce his iron fist on the Pridelands! If you ever met a hyena, believe me, it will become abundantly clear who is the vermin of these lands. So don't try to defend a monstrosity you never had to face! I most certainly have had to, and believe me, the only thing I ever hated more than them is uncle Scar. They will always be the enemy, no matter what."

"Were they really that bad?"

"No Kiara, they were worse than that." Finished Simba, as he turned around and began to walk back down to the dens, leaving Kiara to ponder what she had just heard.

Simba's long winded, but very one sided, rant on the evilness of the hyenas worried Kiara. Were they really that bad? What if the hyena she had saved was an evil creature, who would tear her throat as soon as look at her? Kiara wanted to know for certain. She set off down Pride Rock, wanting to get back to the den where she had dropped of the sick hyena. She would form her own opinions of hyenas from how this one acted. That was probably the best way to find out for sure.

Before long, the secluded den came into sight.

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Shenzi opened her eyes. And then closed them. And opened them again. And again, and again, and again. Was she still dreaming? she wondered. She must still be dreaming. But this was indeed a strange dream. No matter what she did, all she could see around her was a massive black void, devoid of color. She couldn't even see herself. The problem was, she didn't recognize the telltale signs of a dream anywhere. There wasn't a strange blurriness at the edge of her vision, the ground she felt beneath her paws felt more like actual rocks than the softer ones in the dream landscape, and there were no signs of anything she had seen before. Whenever she dreamed, it had always been about a past experience, but she didn't remember ever being in a black void, devoid of all color. She could feel that she was standing up, but when she looked down, she couldn't see her feet. She raised her paw and touched her nose, but while she could feel both her nose and her paw make contact, she couldn't see either.

She rubbed her eyes, trying to get whatever was blocking her sight off. It didn't work. Wait a minute, it didn't work! Why couldn't she see! And where was she? Starting to get worried, Shenzi called out, "Hello? Is there anyone here? Banzai?" To her surprise, someone answered, but it wasn't Banzai.

"Oh hey! You're up! How are you feeling?"

"Who are you? Are you Hasina?" Asked Shenzi.

"No I'm not, I don't know who Hasina is."

You don't! Then who are you?" Asked Shenzi, taking a sniff of the air. Whichever hyena it was, the scent would tell her. When the smell filled her nostrils, Shenzi froze in fear. It was a lion! A lion was right here, right next to her, and she couldn't see it!

"Actually, my name is Kiara, I'm not a hyena, I'm a lioness."

Shenzi stepped back in fear. Even if she was at full strength, she could not take on a lioness one on one and expect to win. Especially now, when she had somehow lost her eyesight.

"Stay back lion! Stay back, or I'll claw your throat out!" She called out to the unseen lion.

"No, I'm not here to hurt you," the lion called Kiara said.

"Yeah right! You lions never showed us any mercy. The second I let my guard down, you'll be on me in a flash. I'm not falling for that so easily."

"No, I am really not here to hurt you! I don't have anything against hyenas."

Shenzi snorted. "Well, now I know you're lying. All lions hate hyenas. It's a fact."

"Well I guess I'm the exception. I was the one that rescued you yesterday, When you were extremely sick."

"What! I wasn't sick!"

"You were lying on the ground screaming in pain!"

"I wouldn't do that."

"I'm not lying. I found you yesterday convulsing in pain, so I dragged you back here so you could recover!"

Shenzi flicked her ears. She remembered that she was having an extreme headache, and that she saw a lion right before she passed out from agony. Was this lioness telling the truth? And even if she was, Shenzi couldn't even see the lion to be able to tell if she was telling the truth.

"Well, where am I" Shenzi asked.

"You're in an unused den not too far from Pride Rock."

"Pride Rock! But, there are more lions at Pride Rock! They'll tear me apart if they see me!"

"But they won't. This den is not near any of the usual patrol or hunting routes. It's secluded."

"It's just that, well, wait a minute, where are you?." Shenzi asked, still straining her eyes desperately to try too see the lion.

Suddenly, the realization that she could not see finally sunk in. She couldn't see. She couldn't see! She was, she was blind! This wasn't a just a dream that ended when she woke up, this was reality, and Shenzi could not see! She had lost her eyesight! She was blind!

"Oh no! Oh no oh no oh no!"

"What? What is it? Asked the lion.

"I, I can't see! I Can't see!" Shenzi cried. An animal that couldn't see was as good as dead in the wild. An animal that couldn't see could not hunt, could not not contribute to the clan in any way! She was doomed!

"You can't see? You mean, you're blind?"

But Shenzi was too distressed to listen to the lions questions. She had to get out of here! She had to get back to her clan! She couldn't stay here, she had to get out! Shenzi ran forward as fast as she could, toward the sound of the lions voice. Hopefully the exit was somewhere there. Kiara leaped aside to get out of the way of the panicked hyena. Shenzi kept running, not able to see where she was going. She tripped against a rock that was sticking out of the ground, and fell forward. She stumbled back up, and tried to keep going, but after a few more steps, she suddenly felt an object smash into her forehead, and she fell over, unconscious from the collision.

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Kiara saw the hyena run directly into the tree. She supposed it might have been very funny to watch, if not for the panic in the hyenas voice, and the fear in it's face when it ran from the cave. She trotted over to the hyena, which was now lying on the ground, unconscious. That was probably from hitting the tree while running at top speed. Wondering what the hyena had meant about not being able to see, Kiara slid back the female hyenas eyelids. To her shock, instead of seeing pupils and an iris, the eyes were completely gray. Was the hyena blind? It certainly wasn't yesterday, yesterday it had seen her just fine. Kiara wondered if maybe the sickness the hyena had yesterday had done that to her. But what a horrible disease to catch! Making an animal blind was one of the worst possible outcomes there was, except perhaps death.

Kiara grabbed the female hyena by the scruff of its neck and dragged it back to the cave. She noticed that the meat she had left for it yesterday was still uneaten. Kiara decided to stay here and wait for it to wake back up. When it did, she would calm it down and make it eat some food. It probably needed it.

After a few minutes had passed, the hyena began to stir. Kiara watched it slowly wake up.

"Ugh, my head hurts"'it said, it no one in particular. Then, it seemed to realize again what was happening to it. "Oh no! My eyes! I can't see! I can't,,,,," the hyena was cut short by Kiara's interjection.

"Stop! Don't worry, it's okay, calm down, just calm down." Kiara soothed. The hyena fearfully turned towards the sound of her voice.

"No! Stay back lion, I may not be able to see you, but I can still claw you!" She said, as she took a swipe at the air.

"Just calm down! I really won't hurt you. If I was, I would have done it by now. Just calm down." The female hyena squinted in her direction, as if trying to discern where exactly Kiara was. Then its face became fearful and panicky again.

"Why can't I see? I, I need to see! I can't hunt without being able to see! I, I can't lead my clan without sight! I'm useless without sight!" To Kiara it seemed the hyena was suffering a mental breakdown.

"I can help you if you calm down! I can help you! Just, please try to listen to me." The hyena looked in her direction, not seeming convinced.

"Help me? Help me? You can't help me, I'm blind! and last I checked, that situation was permanent!"

"Listen already! I can get you back to your clanmates in the graveyard, but I won't help you if you don't calm down!

The hyena glared at her, or at least where the hyena thought she was. Truthfully she was looking too far to the left.

"Okay. Fine. I am now calm" the hyena spat. "Now what do you have to say?"

"Well, finally. I just wanted to talk."

"Get in with it then!"

"Okay, in that case, what's your name?"k

"Shenzi. My name is Shenzi."

"Shenzi! Really?"

"Yes. Why, you know that name?"

"Yeah. Simba told me that was the name of the hyena that tried to kill him as a cub."

"Simba. It's almost a shame that I failed to kill him when he trespassed into the graveyard."

"Why 'almost'," Kiara asked. So, this Hyena had tried to kill her father! Kiara had started to get a feel for why Simba hated the hyenas.

"Because Simba nearly killed our good pal Scar. And Scar was a traitorous bastard. As soon as Scar felt he was backed into a corner, he blamed us for what he did in the Pridelands. And when they fought, Simba cast Scar down to the bottom of Pride Rock. And then, we finished him off for betraying us. So it seems Simba helped us out after all in the end. Of course, after that, he drove us back to the Graveyard."

"Whats life like in the Graveyard?" Kiara asked. At this question, Shenzi gave Kiara a dirty look.

"What's life like in the Graveyard? Well, it sucks. It is just about as low as a species can go before they get to cannibalism. Every day, our pups can barely get enough milk from their mothers because the mothers are starving, and our older members can't get enough food to stay alive! Our oldest hyena is still only a young adult!"

"You can't get enough food in the Graveyard?"

"Not nearly what we need."

"Why don't you move someplace else then? Someplace with more food?"

Shenzi snorted. "Well gee. Why don't we move someplace else? Why, I hadn't ever thought of that before! What a great idea" she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. Kiara didn't think that it was a bad idea.

"What's wrong with that idea?" Kiara asked defensively.

"Put simply, we physically can't. The desert crossing takes over a week, without any food or water along the way. Not a single one of us has that much food in his stomach. The pups and older ones would be dead within the first three days. The rest of us would follow on the fourth. It just isn't a journey we could make."

"Oh"

"Oh indeed. The worst part is, even if we don't doom ourselves by attempting to cross the desert, we are probably doomed anyways. Due to the lack of food in the graveyard, we have always been hungry, but lately there have been fewer and fewer rodents we could catch to eat. Since we can't sneak over to the Pridelands anymore, we have to exclusively take our food from the Graveyard. And we are draining the food supply slowly, even though we are eating less and less. Eventually we simply won't have enough food, and most of us will starve to death. Those that don't will probably not live long enough to see the food supply replenish anyways. It's just that, my clan is in trouble, and now, I can't even help them! I can't help them anymore!"

Kiara saw that Shenzi was extremely distressed. She felt sorry for Shenzi, and all of the hyenas who had to live on below the bare minimum of food. She resolved, right then, that she would help the hyenas, no matter what it took to improve their situation.

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 **Well! It seems Shenzi has an ally she didn't count on! She is going to need it too, especially in later chapters. Also, rest assured, Shenzi is going to make it back to the Elephant Graveyard in the next chapter. And Kovu is going to get some more action soon as well. I haven't really included him so far yet. Anyway, see you soon dear reader! If you liked it, tell me what you think! Constructive Criticism accepted. No flaming!**


	5. Authors note

**This is just a quick authors note. Just in case any of you are worried about Shenzi losing her eyesight, don't worry, she will get it back in a later story. Just for any of you Shenzi fans who might have hated me because I made her blind. This is to show I care! I am also a shenzi fan, just so you know. Anyways, leave a review to tell me what you think of the story so far. See you in the next chapter, whenever that arrives.**


	6. Discovery and worry

**I got this idea from a story called 'A Light for everyone' by Alex Draco. The beginning of this story is similar to the beginning of his. However, my story goes in a bit of a different direction. But it was inspired by that story! You should go check it out, it's very well written in my opinion. One more thing. I am using some of Tearthgrrl OC's, just because they really add to the story. Tearthgrrl hasn't added anything to her profile for three years now, so I figured it would be okay to use some of her OC's. But credit where it's due!**

 **Tearthgrrl OC's:**

 **Maumbu- Eds big brother, a healer, sort of like Rafiki.**

 **Hasina- Maumbu's mate**

 **By the way, whenever you see : ()()()()()()(()(())(), it means the point of view is changing. Also, I did some research and it turns out that even if a person is totally blind, they will still be able to see random lights and colors, those lights and colors just don't correspond to what is actually in front of them. But for the purpose of this story, total blindness will mean that all the person will be able to see is darkness. No lights or colors, just a black void. To clear things up, 'Macho' means 'vigilant' in swahili. And the name is pronounced 'maco' don't pronounce the ch sound.**

 **Anyways, on with the fanfic!**

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Kovu was wondering where Kiara was. Today, he and Kiara didn't have to go on patrol anywhere, so he wanted to spend today with the one he loved. Unfortunately, he didn't know where Kiara was. They had been sleeping in the main den at Pride Rock, and Kiara had woken early and left to go someplace. So Kovu had nothing to do except sit around outside the den and nap. As the day wore on, Kovu became increasingly bored waiting for Kiara to show up. He got up, yawned, and stretched himself out, pushing his forelegs up and pushing his back legs against the ground. He trotted down the side of Pride Rock, to go see if he could find Kiara. Maybe she herself was napping, but in their private den farther away from Pride Rock.

Kovu started to jog in the direction of his den. As he went through the savannah, he saw some herds of wildebeest of in the distance. He licked his lips. Wildebeest was his favorite! Unfortunately, he had already eaten an antelope that morning, so he wasn't hungry. He decided to keep going.

The wind whistled through the grass. It was fine weather today, since the only clouds above him were a few white cirrus clouds. The sun shone warmly down on Kovu, and Kovu felt happy. Now if he could only find Kiara! He could share his happiness.

Just then, as if in answer to his thoughts, Kovu saw Kiara walking in his direction.

"Hey Kiara! Kiara!" Called Kovu, as he bounded towards his mate.

"Kovu? Oh, hi Kovu!" Responded Kiara, when she saw him running towards her.

"Hello Kiara."

"Hi Kovu."

"What are you doing?"

"I'm just walking back to Pride Rock."

"What were you doing out here?" Asked Kovu, curious to know what Kiara did this morning.

"Umm, I was doing some thinking." Responded Kiara.

"Thinking about what my love?"

"Just, you know, stuff."

"Anything important?"

Not especially."

"Well, if you aren't doing anything, you want to come with me to our den so we can talk?" Asked Kovu. He wanted to talk with Kiara because he was incredibly bored, and he wanted someone who would listen to him and respond to him.

"Yeah, no, I don't really want to go to our den right now."

"What! Why not? Don't you want to be with me?"

"No, we can still talk, just, someplace else."

Kovu wrinkled his nose in confusion. What was wrong with their den that Kiara didn't want to be there?

"Oh come on Kiara, it isn't far. Just a few minutes, and we'd be there! It's just a hop, skip, and a jump."

"No, I'm quite sure. I'd rather not go there right now."

Puzzled, Kovu wondered why Kiara didn't want to go to their den. He would go there, and find out.

"Well, if you don't want to come with me, I'll go myself."

"No!" Kiara exclaimed, perhaps a little too quickly.

"What's wrong with me going there?"

"Nothing! It's just that, umm." Kiara stuttered

"Just what?"

"Well, nothing at all!"

"Okay….. I'll just be on my way then."

"No, Kovu, just don't". Pleaded Kiara. Kovu was thoroughly confused as to why Kiara wanted him to avoid their own den. He had to go and find out why!

"Okay, okay. Fine. Let's go back to Pride Rock then." Kovu offered. Then, he got an idea. If he could trick Kiara into racing back to Pride Rock, he could run the other way and find out what was at their den that she didn't want him to see. "In fact, how about we race there?" Kovu said. Kiara's face lit up.

"Okay then! Three, two, one, go!" She shouted as she ran off back the way Kovu came. Kovu immediately turned around and began to run in the opposite direction. He would be out of sight before Kiara realized what he had done! Chuckling to himself, he saw the cave that he called his den. Slowing down, he walked up to the entrance. Then he peered inside. To his enormous surprise, he saw a hyena sleeping inside! A hyena! Hyenas had been banished from the Pridelands, and this one had the audacity to not only re-enter, but to sleep in Kovu's own den! Kovu's blood boiled, and he ran up to the slumbering fool and pounced on it! He heard an 'oof!' come from the surprised creature as he pinned the hyena to its back.

"What the heck…" It began to say, but Kovu sank his claws into its shoulders, and it let out a yelp of pain.

"What did you think _you_ were doing?" Asked Kovu forcefully.

"Get your stinking claws off me!" It yelled, its face in a grimace of pain. "And what did I think I was doing? I was taking a nap! Is that against the law around here?"

"It is when you do it in the Pridelands." Snarled Kovu. He leaned forward, his teeth inches from its face. The hyena seemed completely unfazed by this however, and snarled back. Its bravery surprised Kovu. Not many creatures would be brave if they were pinned by a male lion more than twice their size.

"The Pridelands? You think I _want_ to be in stinking lion territory! Now get your claws out of my shoulder!"

"Sorry, it's a bit too late for that." Responded Kovu menacingly, raising his paw to deliver the killing blow against the trespasser. He would kill the hyena, to get rid off their pestilence on the land. Simba would be proud once he told him what had happened. The hyena stared unflinchingly up at him.

"No Kovu, Wait! Don't do it!" Cried a voice from the entrance to the cave. Kovu and the hyena turned their heads toward the sound. It was Kiara! What did she mean by she didn't want him to kill the hyena?

"What? Kiara, why not?" Asked Kovu.

"Don't kill it Kovu! It's defenseless!

"Defenseless, well, all the more reason to kill it while it's down!"

"What did it ever do to you?"

"Well, nothing really, but…. It's a hyena! They are vermin! And this one trespassed! I'm just administering the punishment!"

"So it deserves to die just because it crossed the border?"

"Yes!"

"That sounds too harsh!"

"I agree with Kiara." The hyena added.

"Shut up, it's not your choice vermin."

"Huh! Vermin! To us hyenas, you lions are the vermin."

"Yeah, but whose territory are we on?"

"You mean this stinkhole is called territory?" The hyena said mockingly.

"Shut up, both of you!" Kiara interjected. Kovu looked back at her, and she continued, "listen Kovu, for starters, let Shenzi up." Shenzi? Kiara referred to the hyena by name? "Just do it Kovu" Kiara sighed. Kovu backed up, and the hyena sat up and began to lick the blood that was streaming out of its shoulders.

"Kovu, you scratched Shenzi!?" Said Kiara, with concern in her voice.

"Kiara, it's a hyena! Why do you care what happens to it?"

"Because I saved it!"

"Wait, you saved a hyena? Hyenas are our natural enemies Kiara! They deserve to die!"

"Do their _pups_ deserve to die? Do their weak and infirm deserve to die? Do their mothers who desperately search for food just to get some milk to their little ones deserve to die?"

"Umm, well,... Uuhhhh, not necessarily…. But the ones that trespass despite warning are guilty! Like this one!"

"Kovu, she didn't come here on purpose, I brought her here."

"What for?"

"Because I when I found her she was dying! She was dying of a horrible sickness, and I bought her here to recover. And so far she has recovered! Mostly, anyways." Kiara explained.

"Yeah! Mostly. If you call being blind mostly recovering, them yeah, I'm good." Grumbled Shenzi.

"Blind? You're blind?" Asked Kovu. Now that he looked, he saw that the hyena called Shenzi didn't have an Iris, but her eyes were completely gray.

"Yeah. Don't remind me." Shenzi responded, suddenly much quieter.

"For how long have you been blind then?"

"Since this morning, when I woke up."

"Oh. Thats sudden."

"Just shut up!" Shenzi yelled, with a scowl on her face. Kovu felt a tap on his shoulder. He turned around and saw Kiara motion for him to come outside. They walked out quietly, with the hyena oblivious to their departure. When they got out of earshot of Shenzi, Kiara turned to Kovu.

"Listen Kovu, I know you don't like hyenas, but this one really needed my help when I found it. I found her writhing on the ground, shrieking in pain. No animal deserves to go through that sort of suffering. And now that Shenzi has lost her eyesight, she needs my help more than ever. She is the Matriarch of all that's left of the hyenas, and she can't save her clan from starvation without sight. So I promised her that I would help her and her clan get food." Said Kiara, with a sort of hesitant look on her face.

"You promised to get the hyenas food! Kiara, that's, that's,... that's outrageous! What would Simba think! You know he hates hyenas more than anything else!"

"Kovu, it's the right thing to do, the hyenas really are starving. They can't enter the Pridelands anymore, so they have survive solely on the Graveyard. There is isn't enough food in there to support them! Their pups are dying as we speak! Do the innocent pups deserve to die? No, they don't! They are just pups, that know nothing about how or why the hyenas and lions hate each other."

"If the hyenas are still in the Graveyard, we should at least tell Simba about them, he is the king after all, and deserves to know."

"No Kovu, don't tell my dad! He would go straight to the Graveyard and slaughter them all! Just, don't tell Simba for now. I was going to do that later, perhaps when I catch him in a good mood."

"Kiara, I have no idea what drives you to help those mongrels. But of it really means so much to you, I won't tell Simba. But if he finds out you're helping hyenas, he will be furious. The last lion that became friends with hyenas was Scar! So just, be careful."

"Okay Kovu, I will. I promise."

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Banzai was worried. _Really_ worried. He had no idea where Shenzi was. And that was _bad_. Shenzi was their Matriarch, and she was the one that called the shots. And yet, she was nowhere to be found. Normally, she was always up and about, ordering hyenas on hunting parties, or organizing food, or overseeing disputes. It was not like her to neglect her duties, she was too overprotective of her clan. But she had been missing for nearly a day and a half. It did not bode well. Banzai felt he had to go talk to Maumbu. He was one of his closest friends, aside from Shenzi and Ed. When he arrived at the healer's den, he called out,

"Hey Maumbu? You home?"

A tired voice came out from the cave. "Ugh, Banzai, just let me sleep. I've been up all night taking care of my pups. Come back later this afternoon of it isn't urgent." Well, that stank, Banzai thought as he turned around. Maumbu was out of action for the moment. He had no one to talk to. And Ed wasn't exactly a conversationalist. Sighing, Banzai went off to sit down someplace. He had some thinking to do.

When Banzai arrived at private cave, he sat down and tried to think about where Shenzi could be. Hopefully, she was just so tired that she had forgotten to get up. Unfortunately, Banzai doubted Shenzi would ever do that. But if she wasn't sleeping, where could she be? She wouldn't leave on purpose,... Suddenly, Banzai's stomach clenched as a horrible thought occurred to him.. What if Shenzi had been attacked by lions? That would explain why she wasn't here. Banzai dearly hoped Shenzi wasn't lying injured someplace, or worse dead. If Shenzi was dead, Banzai wouldn't know what to do. She always had the answer, the reason for why they did anything. And more recently, Banzai had begun to really like Shenzi, he had hoped that one day he would have the nerve to ask her to be his mate.

They just had to find Shenzi! She could be hurt, or injured, or something much, much worse. He would go get the other hyenas, and see if he could get a few of them to help him look for her.

He exited the cave, and hurried to go get his comrades.

"Hey, guys, I need your help." Shouted Banzai, as he approached a returning hunting party. As expected, they had only caught a single mouse between the five of them. It wasn't that they were bad hunters, but there was just not enough food available.

"Banzai? What is it?" Asked Macho **A/N: (Macho means 'vigilant' in swahili. Also, it's pronounced maco, don't pronounce the ch sound).**

"I need your help to find Matriarch Shenzi. She went to go hunting two days ago, and she hasn't returned since. It's possible she may have been injured while she was hunting."

"Shenzi is missing?"

"Since the day before yesterday."

"Where was she last seen?"

"Heading off towards the eastern border."

"This is serious then. Comrades, follow me!" Ordered Macho, as he and his hunting party went to search the Graveyard. Macho was the highest ranking male hyena in the clan, other than Banzai. He was always serious, and he knew how to get things done.

Banzai went to follow the rest of the hyenas. Once they reached the easternmost caves, they spread out, looking for any sign of their missing Matriarch. Banzai tossed aside an old ribcage, as he sniffed the air for any scent of Shenzi. No such luck. As they searched, the sun began to go down. He refused to give up. She had to be here somewhere! They continued to look high and low, as the sun began to dip below the horizon.

Banzai was very hungry.

They were going to search through the night, the other hyenas assured him. Their Matriarch was very important to them, she had saved them from the lions when they came to slaughter those that were left. They all owed her their lives, and now they wanted to repay their debt. The moon came up, and shone its white light onto them.

When Banzai hopped atop an Elephant skull, he surveyed all of the ground they had yet to cover. He saw no sign of Shenzi anywhere. He was now really, really worried. Where could Shenzi be? Just then, he heard a voice call out,

"Hey guys, over here!" Banzai felt elated! Had they found Shenzi? He dearly hoped she was alright. He hopped down, and followed the voice down a ravine. When he arrived, he found a fellow hyena sniffing the air.

"What is it? What have you found?" Asked Banzai, as other hyenas gathered round to listen.

"Just sniff the air! You can smell the Matriarch's scent! And another creature's too, I don't recognize it."

Banzai sniffed the air, and took in the scent around them. Shenzi's scent filled his nostrils. So she was here recently! He took another sniff, and to his horror, he recognized the scent of another animal, an animal that all hyenas hated. Lion! There had been a lion here! Around Banzai, the sudden intake of breaths made it evident the rest of them had come to the same conclusion.

"Lions! What was a lion doing in the Graveyard? And why is it's scent right next to Shenzi's?" Asked Macho.

"What if the reason Shenzi is missing is because she got into a tussle with a lion?" Said Banzai, voicing his greatest fear.

"There isn't any sign of a struggle here though." Said another hyena.

"Spread out! Follow the Matriarch's scent!" They did so, and Banzai followed the scent trail of Shenzi closely. To his increasing worry, the scent of the lion stayed consistent with her scent. Eventually, the trail lead to the ridge that marked the border of the Graveyard. Banzai and the rest of the hyenas climbed the ridge, and gazed out onto the savannah. The scent trail lead further into the Pridelands, and the scent of the lion was still present.

"Why did Shenzi go into the Pridelands?" Said Banzai.

"She's never done it before, she's always admonishing us to stay far away from the borders." Added Macho.

"What has me worried is that the scent of the lion mingles strongly with her scent. What if a lion attacked her and dragged her back to Pride Rock?"

"That is the absolute worst case scenario. Don't worry yet, Shenzi may have been simply tracking a lion that trespassed into our territory."

"If that's true, then why isn't she back yet?"

Banzai swallowed. He hoped Shenzi was alright. They stood in silence for a few seconds.

"If the lions found her, she may still be alive. We have to go find her. Preferably as soon as we can." Said Macho.

"We go right now." Said Banzai. The others nodded in agreement. They turned to the savannah, and ran into the forbidden Pridelands, intent on finding their lost Matriarch.

Banzai hoped the lions hadn't killed her.

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Okay, sorry for this short chapter, but I had to update! Anyways, it seems Banzai and some other hyenas are entering the Pridelands. Will they be found by some other lions? Or will they find Shenzi in time? And what will they think of her blindness? Also, now that Kovu is in on the secret, will he be able to keep it a secret? Ill try to update as soon as I can. If you liked this chapter, leave a review! Reviews are what make me want to update faster. Constructive Criticism accepted. No flaming!


	7. Forbidden exploration and help

**I got this idea from a story called 'A Light for everyone' by Alex Draco. The beginning of this story is similar to the beginning of his. However, my story goes in a bit of a different direction. But it was inspired by that story! You should go check it out, it's very well written in my opinion. One more thing. I am using some of Tearthgrrl OC's, just because they really add to the story. Tearthgrrl hasn't added anything to her profile for three years now, so I figured it would be okay to use some of her OC's. But credit where it's due!**

 **Tearthgrrl OC's:**

 **Maumbu- Eds big brother, a healer, sort of like Rafiki.**

 **Hasina- Maumbu's mate**

 **By the way, whenever you see : ()()()()()()(()(())(), it means the point of view is changing. Also, I did some research and it turns out that even if a person is totally blind, they will still be able to see random lights and colors, those lights and colors just don't correspond to what is actually in front of them. But for the purpose of this story, total blindness will mean that all the person will be able to see is darkness. No lights or colors, just a black void. To clear things up, 'Macho' means 'vigilant' in swahili. And the name is pronounced 'maco' don't pronounce the ch sound.**

 **Anyways, on with the fanfic!**

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Banzai was nervous. And and his hyena friends shouldn't be here at all. The Pridelands were strictly off-limits to hyenas, and due to hunger and starvation, none of their group were fit enough to fight off an angry lion. He doubted they even had the strength to run away fast enough. The lions were well fed, and the hyenas were just skin and bones. But hopefully they wouldn't run into any lions during their visit.

The group advanced slowly, keeping low in the grass. If they were spotted, they were doomed. Currently, Banzai and Macho's hunting pack were following the scent of their leader, Shenzi. She had been missing for two days now, highly irregular for any Matriarch, especially Shenzi, who was overprotective of her clan.

When they searched the Graveyard, they had found a scent trail that had lead them into the Pridelands. The unfortunate part was that the scent of a lion also permeated the scent of the Matriarch. It was as if they had walked side by side.

Banzai knew that wasn't very likely. But he didn't want to entertain the other possibility that entered his head. That the lion had attacked Shenzi and dragged her body back to Pride Rock.

No, he wasn't going to think about that.

Macho stood up on the hill in front of Banzai. He gazed out, and sniffed the air again. He took a quick precautionary sweep of the area, and came back to the group. He had a confused expression on his face, as if he was pondering something.

"Well, her scent veers away from PrideRock, so that's good, but the scent of the lion still mingles with Shenzi's scent. It turned exactly where our Matriarch's scent turned. It seems more and more likely they both went to the same place, wherever that is."

"Which way does the scent turn? Left, towards the river, or right, towards the water hole?" Asked Banzai.

"Left, towards the river." Answered Macho.

"What else is out there other than the river?" Asked another hyena.

"Antelopes like to graze in that direction, but not much else. I myself haven't been in that area before, I've mostly stuck in the center and southern areas of the Pridelands. The north and east still remain largely foreign to me."

"I don't care if we haven't been there before, that's where Shenzi went, so that's where we are going!" Said Banzai, slightly annoyed at the slow proceedings.

"It's just that, that area could be a place where lionesses like to gather. We could be walking into

A lion stronghold!"

"The lionesses stick to Pride Rock and the water hole. We should be fine."

"Really?"

"I saw how they acted during Scar's reign. They don't go very far from either location, unless they are hunting."

"So we should be fine." Said Macho. "Now come on, the scent leads this way." Banzai and the rest follow Macho as they crept through the grass. It was early morning, and animals would begin to start waking up in another hour or so. The sun began to rise as they snuck past sleeping herds of wildebeest. They were so plump! But if they tried to eat some, they could cause a disturbance. And they didn't want to be noticed now.

Eventually they came upon a small cave, sort of like a den. Banzai took another sniff, and to his surprise, Shenzi's scent was stronger! She was somewhere close! He took another sniff, and to his horror. The scent of the lion was also stronger. They all crouched low in the grass, trying to stay hidden as they looked about for the location of the lion scent.

"I can smell Shenzi! But, I can also smell a lion. What do we do?" Asked Banzai.

"Her scent is stronger alright. But we have to be careful if we are to avoid the lions who are about. Spread out, slowly, and if you see either the Matriarch or a lion, come back here as quick as you can, but don't be seen!" Ordered Macho.

Banzai crept forward, looking left and right for any sign of either Shenzi or their adversaries. But Shenzi was close! She had to be around here somewhere. Filled with hope, he decided to check the den they were next to. He got closer, careful to stay near the ground. Then, to his horror, he saw that on top of the hill in which the den was situated, sat two lions, talking to each other. One was a lioness, but the other was a full grown male lion! And they were naught but fifteen feet away from him! He could be seen! And then eaten!

Oh, where the heck was Shenzi? Banzai sniffed again, and the scent was stronger near the den. Was Shenzi inside the den? Maybe she was hiding from these two lions in there. If she was in there, he had to go check it out! But first he would go back and tell the rest of his group about the situation. He turned around and crept back the way he came from.

When he got back where they had previously gathered, he saw none of his comrades had yet returned. He sat there impatiently, waiting for them to get back. After a few minutes, Macho appeared, and slowly the rest of them arrived as well. When they were all here, Banzai addressed them.

"Okay listen up. I have some bad news, but I may have found Shenzi." At this, the hyenas perked up, eager to hear what he had to say.

"In that cave over there, Shenzi's scent was rather strong. Unfortunately, right over that cave, there are two lions, and one is a full grown male lion." The hyenas gasped in dismay.

"What we need to do is get someone to sneak in that cave then. They can't be noticed, or we're all doomed. So, anyone want to volunteer?" Said Macho.

There was a pause.

"I will." Said Banzai.

"Good then, we have our man. Okay Banzai, be careful. Just go slow, and we should be fine."

"Yeah yeah, I got it."

"Okay Banzai, good luck." A chorus of similar statements echoed among the other hyenas. Banzai crept back to the cave, and saw the lions were now arguing vigorously over something. Whatever it was, it was a heated debate. Banzai stayed low, and as quickly as he could, he dashed over to the mouth of the den. He had made it! He paused, and he heard some of the dialogue of the lions above him.

"Kiara, please, you can't help them! I mean, saving one is bad enough, and I won't tell Simba, but if you actually help to provide for them, that's like breaking the very laws of nature!"

"Kovu, you know that there isn't enough food over there, I gave my promise that I would help!"

"Well, tell her,... it,... That you won't keep your promise! Kiara, how are you going to feed them on top of all your regular duties and patrols? Where will you find time to be with me? Where will you find the time to even sleep?"

"I'll figure it out. But Kovu, you have to admit, even you can take pity on a blind animal. Listen Kovu, she needs my help!"

"But, but,..." The lion called Kovu stuttered. Banzai did not have a clue what they were talking about, and he decided he didn't even care. So before the next line was uttered, he stepped into the cave, to see if there was anything in it. When his eyes adjusted to the darkness, he saw, right in front of him, was Shenzi!

Shenzi was right there, right in front of him!

He had found her! He wanted to let out a whoop of joy, but the lions above him made him keep silent. She had not yet noticed Banzai, she was bent over, licking her shoulders clean of something. Now, he would just explain the situation to Shenzi, and they would be out of here.

"Hey! Shenzi!" He whispered.

"What! What is it? Who's there?" Yelled Shenzi, as she whipped her head up and looked around. Her gaze went right over Banzai, as if she hadn't noticed him.

"Not so loud Shenzi! There are lions nearby."

"Banzai? Is that really you? How did you get here? Where are you?"

"What! Shenzi, I'm right here! In front of you!"

"Oh….."

Banzai saw Shenzi stare in his direction, seemingly searching for him. She had a sad expression on her face.

"Oh Banzai…"

"What? What Is it Shenzi?" Asked Banzai. He suddenly had a really bad feeling about the way Shenzi looked. He couldn't quite place it, but as she looked in his direction, something felt terribly wrong…..

"Just go away Banzai. I can't help you. Go back and tell the clan I'm not coming back. Ever."

"What?" Said Banzai. He couldn't believe his ears! What did Shenzi just say?

"Didn't you hear me Banzai? I said GO AWAY! Scram! And don't come looking for me again!"

"But Shenzi, what are you talking about? What do you mean, you're not coming back? The clan's starving! We need you now more than ever!"

"I can't help the clan Banzai! Don't you get it! I can't help them anymore!"

"Shenzi, what do you mean? What,,,, what do you mean by that?" What did she mean by that? She couldn't help them? Had Shenzi lost her nerve? No, Shenzi wasn't like that, something was wrong, very very wrong.

At that moment, the lions who had been arguing above them had heard their voices, and had come down to see what was going on. Macho and the rest of the hyenas were watching in horror as they saw the lions enter the cave Banzai had entered.

"Whats going on here?" Came a voice from behind Banzai. Banzai turned around, and he saw that at the mouth of the cave, the two lions he had snuck by were standing there, blocking the exit. On instinct, he backed up quickly, and walked into Shenzi.

"Gah, just leave already!" Spat Shenzi, as Banzai felt her claw his back.

"Ow! Shenzi, what was that for?"

"Just hold up everyone, stop right where you are." Said the lioness who was standing at the exit.

"No! Lions, I won't listen to you!"

"Do what she says Banzai" said an angry Shenzi, who was standing perfectly still, and hadn't yet looked at the lions.

"What? Why are we taking orders from lions? I thought those days were over!"

"It's not an order, it's a request." Said the lioness again.

"Oh yeah? A request that you will tear us apart for if we don't follow!"

"Listen hyena, I don't mean you any harm. I just want to talk, so I can explain a few things."

"Hah! Explain things? Like how since we trespassed you're kill me and Shenzi?"

"No, just listen. There's a reason Shenzi doesn't want to talk to you right now,"

That caught Banzai off-guard. How did the lion know Shenzi's name? And how did it know what Shenzi was thinking? He glanced back at his Matriarch, who continued to lick blood off her shoulders.

"What do you mean?" He snapped.

"Your Matriarch Shenzi…. She's blind."

Banzai stood there, trying to process what the lioness had just said. He blinked a few times, and looked back and forth from Shenzi to the lioness. He had always been told he was slow, but those two words took longer for him to process than sarcasm. When he finally realized what those two words meant, his eyes widened, and he felt as if the floor fell away from beneath him. Shenzi was _blind_? What?

"Shenzi, what exactly, what did she, that is, what is she," he sputtered. Shenzi turned towards him, her eyes open. She wasn't looking into his eyes, she was just turning towards the sign of his voice. But he looked into her eyes. And her eyes had lost all color, they had turned from white and yellow to gray. She really was blind, after all.

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Kiara saw the despair in Shenzi's face, and the disbelief in the face of the hyena called Banzai. She supposed she wouldn't like it much either, if she had found out Simba was blind. The hyenas clearly depended heavily on their Matriarch, and with Shenzi somewhat incapacitated, it must have been quite a shock.

"Banzai, she's right. I can't see anymore. I'm completely blind. Even with my eyes open, I can only see a black void." Shenzi paused for a few moments. "And if you ask me what is _in_ that black void, I swear, I will hit you so hard on the head that you will be seeing stars!"

"But Shenzi, when did you, how….." Said Banzai

"You know after we caught those lizards? And you gave me one to eat? Well, I didn't eat it. I gave it to Hasina, you know she just had cubs. Later that day, as I was walking next to the green geysers, I saw another lizard floating in one of the geysers. I was overcome with ravenous hunger, and I scooped it out and ate it as quick as I could. Well, you know that the green water is poisonous. That night, I had a head splitting headache, and I lost control of my muscles. As I was convulsing on the ground, unconscious, Kiara over there found me. She brought me back here, and gave me some food to eat. When I woke up, I discovered the poison had taken my eyesight. So now I'm blind. And believe me, it sucks." Finished Shenzi.

But Shenzi, even if you can't see, why don't you want to come back to the Graveyard? Why don't you want to come back to your clan? Or to me?"

"I can't help you guys anymore. A blind Matriarch is useless! Completely, stinking, Useless!" By now, Kiara saw that Shenzi was extremely angry. She must hate being blind, and she had to take her anger at her situation out on something. Even if it was her own clanmate.

"Okay, everyone calm down. Shenzi, I know you're blind, but you can still make decisions. You can still lead. You have to go back to the Graveyard. Me and Kovu will help bring in food from now on." Said Kiara.

"I will?" Said a surprised Kovu. Kiara nudged him in the shoulder, and gave him a glare. "Oh yeah, course I will." He amended.

"Even with you bringing in extra food, I can't help hunt. I would just be another mouth to feed, and I'm not a pup with my whole life ahead of me, I'm not important." Said Shenzi glumly.

"Shenzi, you are important! The whole clan counts on you! I count on you! You're my best friend!" Said Banzai. Kiara thought it looked as if the hyena had wanted to add to that, but she didn't say anything.

"Shenzi, it's like he says, the clan needs a strong willed leader, someone who is smart and knows how to make decisions. That someone is you." Kiara added.

"Shenzi, we really need you. You're the only one we all trust to get us through our hunger, to get us through the famine." Said Banzai.

Shenzi still looked extremely sad, and troubled. It was clear she thought she was simply dead weight by now, and would only drag her clan down. They had to convince her the clan needed her.

"Just come on Shenzi! Do it at least so you can say hi to Ed! He misses you!"

"Does my clan really need me?" She asked.

"If you don't return soon, we're going to fall into chaos. What's left of us will all die without organization. You're the smartest, we can't do it without you."

Shenzi sighed. Maybe she was taking their arguments into consideration.

"I suppose you're right Banzai. I'll go back. But I won't stick around if I become dead weight."

Kiara let out a sigh. Thank goodness! It was clear that the hyenas needed her.

"I'll be sure to drop off some wildebeest at the border tomorrow! Kiara chirped.

"Right. Make sure it's a fat one." Shenzi reminded her. "Now Banzai, where exactly is the exit?" Shenzi seemed extremely reluctant to ask that question. She probably didn't want to be reliant on anyone.

"Just follow the sound of my voice" came the reply. Kiara watched as Shenzi and Banzai walked out of the cave, and towards the Graveyard. Kiara hoped Shenzi and the hyenas would be alright. At least they had their leader back now.

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 **Alright! Another chapter in. I did this one during school hours, so sorry if some of it isn't perfect. And sorry if you felt the chapter end was a little too abrupt. But I really felt like writing something! Anyways, now that Banzai has found Shenzi, how will he react to her blindness? It was sorta covered in this chapter, but the next chapter will cover it more. Well, thank you for reading! If you liked it, please leave a review. The longer the better! Anonymous reviews work just fine too. Constructive criticism accepted. No flaming!**


	8. Return and Frustration

**I got this idea from a story called 'A Light for everyone' by Alex Draco. The beginning of this story is similar to the beginning of his. However, my story goes in a bit of a different direction. But it was inspired by that story! You should go check it out, it's very well written in my opinion. One more thing. I am using some of Tearthgrrl OC's, just because they really add to the story. Tearthgrrl hasn't added anything to her profile for three years now, so I figured it would be okay to use some of her OC's. But credit where it's due!**

 **Tearthgrrl OC's:**

 **Maumbu- Eds big brother, a healer, sort of like Rafiki.**

 **Hasina- Maumbu's mate**

 **By the way, whenever you see : ()()()()()()(()(())(), it means the point of view is changing. Also, I did some research and it turns out that even if a person is totally blind, they will still be able to see random lights and colors, those lights and colors just don't correspond to what is actually in front of them. But for the purpose of this story, total blindness will mean that all the person will be able to see is darkness. No lights or colors, just a black void. To clear things up, 'Macho' means 'vigilant' in swahili. And the name is pronounced 'maco' don't pronounce the ch sound.**

 **Anyways, on with the fanfic!**

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Macho's POV

Macho breathed a sigh of relief when he saw Banzai exit the den. The lions hadn't killed him! Then he saw who was walking behind him. It was Matriarch Shenzi! Banzai had found her! But where were the lions that had entered the cave after him? Surely they wouldn't just let two trespassing hyenas go? Macho froze when he saw the lions exit the cave behind his comrades. They were going to pounce!

Then, he heard one of the lions shout a good bye. The lions were saying goodbye? Why would they do that? Oh, but it didn't matter. They had found Shenzi! Life could go back to normal, crisis averted.

Banzai and Shenzi approached. Macho was jubilant. Shenzi was alright! They had feared the worst when she had disappeared, but it seemed their worries were for naught. Then Macho saw the expression on Banzai's face. It looked like Banzai was distraught! But what for? What had happened? Banzai made it to their group, and cleared his throat.

"I found Shenzi, but there's a slight, errr, problem." Macho saw saw Banzai swallow as he stepped aside, showing Shenzi standing behind him. "She's well, uhh…"

"I'm blind." Interjected the Matriarch, with a scowl on her face. "I can't see."

Macho's eyes widened. What did she just say? He looked at his Matriarch in disbelief, hoping that it wasn't true. But Shenzi stayed silent. And when he looked into her eyes, they were completely gray, lacking an iris.

The other hyenas were similarly shocked. They stared at Shenzi, trying to make sense of the words that came out of her mouth. How could Shenzi, their _Matriarch_ , be blind? It was as if an important part of their lives had been taken away, since their Matriarch was their leader, the one hyena who always knew what to do, and would always make the right decision. If she was blind, what would happen to them? Would she still be able to lead?

After a few moments of awkward silence, Shenzi cleared her throat.

"Okay, that's enough. Now, lets just get back to the Graveyard. Banzai, wherever you are, lead the way."

"Umm, Shenzi, you want to lean on one of us? So you know where to go? Asked Banzai.

"NO. I'll just follow the sound of your footsteps. I don't need any _help_." Shenzi snapped, clearly furious. "And if any of you think me incapable of anything, I swear, I'll scratch _your_ eyes out!"

It seemed to Macho that Shenzi didn't want to talk about her infirmity. He supposed she didn't want to look weak in front of her clanmates. A Matriarch had to be always strong, or risk being challenged for her position.

"Alright then, let's go. We should get back to the Graveyard in time for the noon hunt, unless,you all want to stay up and hunt overnight." Macho said, wanting to change the subject. The hyenas set off back the way they came, and Macho noticed Banzai and a few other hyenas deliberately making sure to drag their feet over the grass, as to make more noise for Shenzi to follow. Macho didn't think Shenzi should be worried about her position. Her hyenas would support her whenever necessary.

After walking for a good hour or so in silence, they again arrived at the Graveyard's borders. Macho turned around and looked back into the Pridelands, the forbidden pristine paradise seemingly taunting him to stay in it. Macho gave a sigh. The hyenas would never be able to enter the Pridelands, the hate between them and the lions was just too strong.

Macho slid down the ravine, and Banzai came after him. Home sweet home, Macho thought. Then, he and Banzai looked at each other in horror. The ridge, Shenzi wouldn't be able to see the ridge! She would walk right over it, unaware the drop was there until it was too late. Banzai reacted first, turning around to yell a warning to Shenzi, but it was too late. A yelp of surprise came from above them, and Macho saw Shenzi tumble down the side, rolling down it. She slammed into Banzai, and they both went sprawling.

That was bad.

Shenzi recovered first, getting up with an angry scowl on her face. Banzai dazedly got up too, with a look of concern on his face instead.

Shenzi looked around, or tried to, since she couldn't see. Then she bared her teeth at no one in particular.

"Not a word about that to anyone, or I'll see that hyena on waste duty for a month!" She said, very angry. Macho swallowed. Shenzi really hated to mess up in front of her clanmates. She probably wasn't kidding about waste duty either. Having to clean up feces for a month was not Macho's idea of fun.

"Okay Banzai, come here." Said Shenzi, still angry.

Banzai scampered up to his matriarch and quickly responded.

"I'm here" he said.

"Lead me to Hasina's den, I need to talk to her."

"Course Shenzi."

"As for the rest of you, go off on another hunting party. Rest time is over. We need to work on refilling our stocks again. Now get to it!" At her command, Macho and the rest of the hyenas scampered off.

Macho hoped the rest of the clan wouldn't react too badly to Shenzi's problem. They were all fiercely loyal to her, but would a blind Matriarch's still be able to lead them all the right way? Macho brushed off the mutinous thoughts. Shenzi always did the right thing before, there was no reason she couldn't lead the correctly now.

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 **Banzai's POV**

Banzai checked behind him to make sure Shenzi was following him. He was doing his best to discreetly hum, so that Shenzi would have a noise to follow. Even though he now knew that Shenzi could no longer see, Banzai still couldn't really believe it. Shenzi always seemed to know what she was doing! How could she now hunt along with him now that she couldn't see the prey! How could she fight off challengers if she couldn't see the foe? How could she chastise him for his mistakes if she couldn't see him make them? Oh, it was all so horrible!

They were currently walking through a deep ravine, with red geysers dotting the edges. The geysers were active, so the place was filled with steam. Banzai made sure to take a long path around the geysers, to avoid any chance of Shenzi falling in. All the while, he continued his humming.

They exited the ravine, and traveled through a series of caves. The hyenas had to live in caves to avoid detection by the lions. unfortunately, those two lions that had healed Shenzi now knew there were still hyenas around. Banzai dearly hoped the lions would continue to ignore what was left of the hyenas. Finally, they arrived at Hasina's den. Inside, Banzai heard the hungry squeals of pups. He had forgot that Hasina had given birth! At least that was good news.

Hasina! Would you accept visitors at this hour?" Asked Shenzi, as she stood outside the den. Banzai figured that she had heard the pups, and had surmised that they had arrived.

"Yes, I would. Come on in!" Responded Hasina from within the den.

Shenzi nudged Banzai. "Where exactly is the entrance?" She whispered to him. Banzai took her paw and pointed her a few feet to her right. She grunted a thanks, then walked forward into the cave. Banzai followed her in, and made sure to tap her on the shoulder to stop her from bumping into the cave wall. All the while, he could tell Shenzi hated to be dependent on him.

Hello Hasina" Shenzi said as she sat down. "How are the pups?"

"The pups are doing fine. A bit hungry, but Maumbu always can dig up some extra food for them. They like to play, but they wear themselves out soon enough." Responded Hasina.

"And how are you doing?"

"Less tired now that it's been a while since I gave birth, but the pups still tire me out with their antics. Maumbu has to stay longer at his healer's den since there's been a rash of colds going about, but he still finds time to play with our pups."

"Is Maumbu tired from so many patients?"

"Some days. Most of the time it's just hunger pangs and cramps that he has to help with. It's a bit rare that he actually has a disease to work with. Truth be told, I think he's glad for the recent colds. He finally has something else to treat.

"I'm sure he's still serious about stopping the colds." Responded Shenzi.

Banzai stood behind his friend as she and Hasina talked. So far, Shenzi had not told Hasina that she was blind. He supposed she just didn't want to talk about it. He wouldn't have wanted to either. But she would have to tell everyone eventually, a secret such as this one didn't stay hidden for long. Then, Shenzi wrapped up her conversation with Hasina.

"So Maumbu is at the healer's den?" Asked the Matriarch.

"Yes, he is. He's not due back for a few hours yet."

"Okay. Thank you Hasina, I'll drop by later. For now, goodbye." Said Shenzi, as she backed out of the cave. Banzai followed her. Shenzi took a few probing steps and walked away from the cave mouth.

"So Shenzi, are you planning to go to Maumbu?" He probably isn't busy during the noon hours."

"No Banzai, I want to go off to talk to some lions. Of course I want to go see Maumbu! Why do you think I asked Hasina where he was?" She said sarcastically. "Now, lead the way." Banzai started to hum again, and they set off to the healers den.

When they arrived at Maumbu's, Banzai and Shenzi entered.

"Hey Maumbu! Shenzi's here to see you!" Banzai called out. From a corner, a sleeping figure gave a start, and then quickly got up.

"What? Oh yes, sorry Matriarch Shenzi, I'm awake, I'm here." Said Maumbu. However, it was clear he was only half awake. He looked rather drowsy.

"Maumbu, I need your advice. Do you have any herbs or treatments for…"

"A cold?" Interrupted Maumbu.

"Don't Interrupt me!"

"Sorry! Sorry, I'm sorry." Maumbu amended quicky. His eyebrows were only halfway up. He was trying hard to wake up completely.

"Not for a cold, but rather, do you have anything for, well…. Blindness?"

"Blindness? Like a hyena has got gunk in his eye, or like his vision is fuzzy? From lack of sleep of course," grumbled Maumbu.

"No, I mean, if even a hyena has their eyes wide open, they can't see anything but blackness. Complete loss of eyesight."

"Total blindness? Why would you be asking about that?..." Asked Maumbu. Then, he suddenly seemed more alert, and he looked closer at Shenzi, squinting as he did so.

"Oh gosh… Shenzi, I didn't know…"

"Shut up! Do you have anything for it?" Demanded the Matriarch.

"If you do, we need it quick." Interjected Banzai.

"Oh…. Well… Ummm… There might be a few things we could try, but truth be told, even if they worked, none of the required herbs can be found in the Graveyard. We would have to send excursions into the Pridelands. And we would also have to ask that blasted monkey for a few things. But all of the possible remedies aren't really for blindness. They are for other ailments, and probably won't help at all. None of what I've seen can do anything for total blindness."

"So you can't help me."

"No. I probably can't. We could still try though."

"Oh, never mind. It's not worth all the time it would take to gather said ingredients. The time could better used on more hunting parties. Food is becoming more scarce as of late."

Banzai felt so sad at that moment. Was there nothing at all that could help his best friend Shenzi? Not even fate could have been so cruel as to take away her eyesight. It was horrible.

"If you don't mind me inquiring, how exactly did you lose your sight Shenzi?"

"Sorry, Maumbu, but I do mind. Maybe another time."

"Okay. Sorry about your eyes then."

"Hey Banzai, take me to our den, I need to get some sleep."

It was clear to Banzai that by needing to get some sleep, she really meant that she wanted some time to think. He figured Shenzi needed the time alone.

"Well, come on!" Shenzi demanded.

"Oh, oh right, well then, just follow me."

Banzai went out of the den, and continued his humming. Shenzi followed close behind, and although he heard her trip a few times, which were characterized by sudden cursing, she kept up pretty well. They walked through a few more ravines, until they reached a secluded elephant skull which he, Shenzi, and Ed called home. From inside, he heard a mad sort of cackling.

"Well, it appears Ed's home." Remarked Banzai.

"Yeah, so he is…."

They both entered their skull. All the other hyenas lived underground, but since Shenzi was the matriarch, she chose to instead live in a elephant skull near the back end of the Graveyard. It was allowed since it was near multiple cave entrances, and was tucked away in a hidden corner, far away from prying eyes.

"Hello Ed," said Banzai, as he went inside. Ed sputtered a greeting, then, in a series of laughs only Banzai understood, asked him what was up with Shenzi.

"Listen Ed, Shenzi isn't feeling so well right now. That's why she is in a bad mood.

Ed asked if she had been at Maumbu's yet.

"Yeah Ed, we went to go see Maumbu. He didn't have anything for her." Responded Banzai.

"Huh. Nothing at all." Grumbled Shenzi. "Now if you two could clear out, I'm going to get some sleep."

Banzai didn't move. When Shenzi didn't hear them leaving, she got frustrated.

"Well, get on out of here!" She yelled, teeth bared. Banzai decided to leave. When he exited the skull, he saw Shenzi growling at them. Unfortunately, she wasn't even facing the right direction. Somehow, seeing Shenzi like that finally drove home to Banzai that Shenzi, was in fact, blind. She couldn't see anymore. And even though he would never admit to Shenzi that he really liked her, it broke his heart to see her like that. Sadly, he slunk away. Behind him he saw Shenzi curl up and sit down. Suddenly overcome with a need to apologize to her, he went back to the entrance of the Skull.

He was about to speak up when he heard a peculiar noise he had never heard Shenzi make before. Ever. It was the sound of sobbing! He looked closer, careful not to make a sound. He saw Shenzi sniffling, and tears run down her cheeks. It seemed she really, really needed her alone time. Banzai felt as if one of his last emotional barriers had been torn down. Shenzi never cried, but here she was, blind, and sobbing. He couldn't take it anymore! He had to leave before he himself started to cry too.

Banzai dearly hoped Shenzi would be alright.

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 **Well, sorry if this chapter felt a little forced. But I still think it's not bad. Anyays, I'm also sorry if you think it's completely out of Shenzi's character to cry. But I think it's fine here. Cause, now that Shenzi is the Matriarch, she is extremely protective of her clan. And becoming blind like that just took away her ability to do so. So she just needs to let all her frustration out. This is how she is doing it. So anyway, of you liked it, leave a nice long review. Anonymous reviews work just fine too! Constructive criticism accepted. No flaming!**


	9. Askance and A Challenge

**I got this idea from a story called 'A Light for everyone' by Alex Draco. The beginning of this story is similar to the beginning of his. However, my story goes in a bit of a different direction. But it was inspired by that story! You should go check it out, it's very well written in my opinion. One more thing. I am using some of Tearthgrrl OC's, just because they really add to the story. Tearthgrrl hasn't added anything to her profile for three years now, so I figured it would be okay to use some of her OC's. But credit where it's due!**

 **Tearthgrrl OC's:**

 **Maumbu- Eds big brother, a healer, sort of like Rafiki.**

 **Hasina- Maumbu's mate**

 **By the way, whenever you see : ()()()()()()(()(())(), it means the point of view is changing. Also, I did some research and it turns out that even if a person is totally blind, they will still be able to see random lights and colors, those lights and colors just don't correspond to what is actually in front of them. But for the purpose of this story, total blindness will mean that all the person will be able to see is darkness. No lights or colors, just a black void. To clear things up, 'Macho' means 'vigilant' in swahili. And the name is pronounced 'maco' don't pronounce the ch sound.**

 **Anyways, on with the fanfic!**

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 **Kiara's POV**

Kiara watched the starving hyenas leave. A few minutes earlier, she and Kovu had been arguing over how she was supposed to help feed Shenzi's clan. Shenzi had explained to Kiara that since her hyenas were trapped in the Graveyard, they were starving. The Graveyard had very little food to offer, and even though the hyenas numbers were at an all time low, about fifty, they had trouble feeding themselves. So Kiara had promised to Shenzi that she would leave animal carcasses at the border every day from now on.

But Kovu didn't think Kiara had the time to go on an extra hunt every day, so he was trying to dissuade her from doing it. But Kiara saw how thin Shenzi was, and she didn't think any animal deserved to suffer like that. While they were arguing, they had heard the sound of more arguing coming from within the den they were sitting atop of. They had gone down to investigate, and had found another hyena called Banzai trying to tell Shenzi to come back to the Graveyard.

Shenzi simply was reluctant because since she was now blind, she wasn't sure she could hold up all her duties as Matriarch. But Kiara saw from Banzai's arguments that the hyenas really needed their leader back. So she helped him persuade Shenzi to return to the Graveyard. Shenzi had agreed eventually, and he had left with the blind hyena following close behind. Kiara noticed that Banzai was also extremely thin, his ribs were showing, and it was clear he hadn't an ounce of fat on him.

Once they departed, Kiara turned to Kovu.

"So then, you still think the hyenas don't need any extra help?" she said.

"Well… He did look rather thin…." Responded Kovu.

"Exactly. The hyenas really are starving Kovu, I'm just offering some help. There isn't anything wrong with that"

"Still…. If Simba finds out you're helping them, he won't be happy. Heck, if he finds out there are still hyenas in the Graveyard at all he won't be happy."

"But he won't find out. That's why this is fine. And if he does, maybe he should take pity on the less fortunate!"

"We'll just do the extra hunting while on patrol then." Offered Kovu. "That's when our absences are excused, and we go by some grazing grounds anyway."

"That's the spirit Kovu. It won't be any trouble at all!"

"Well, one would hope so."

"I don't hope Kovu, I know. Now, do you want to go back to Pride Rock?"

"Sure. I guess I'm not busy anyway…" Kovu suddenly paused. "Race ya!" He yelled, as he tagged Kiara on the shoulder and bounded off before she could reply.

Oh, I'll catch him yet! Kiara thought, as she sprinted to catch up. Kovu had a huge lead, but like always, Kiara was a much faster runner. And despite what Kovu would claim, he didn't have a large amount of stamina. And that was important for long distances like this.

Ahead, she saw that Kovu was beginning to waver. Taking her opportunity, she put on her max speed, and started running side by side with Kovu. She looked to her left to see Kovu's surprised face when she smirked and ran ahead. He shouldn't be surprised anymore, she kept beating him in these races! She saw Priderock come into view ahead. It wasn't much farther.

When she arrived, she turned around saw Kovu was slowly walking to her. It appeared he was exhausted. Wow, he really didn't have much stamina after all! After a few minutes of sitting in the sun, washing herself, Kovu finally made it.

"Man, you really can run fast!" He remarked, still gasping for air.

"Well, it certainly isn't a repeat of yesterday!" She teased.

"well.. Huff…. Just wait up next time."

"Why would I wait up for a slowpoke?"

"Because… Huff… Oh nevermind. You Pridelanders have too thick of skulls to listen to reason."

"Oh yeah? Try me."

"Well…. Actually I got nothing. You beat me fair and square."

"And you Outlanders aren't too smart either it seems!"

"I'll show you!" Kovu cried playfully, as he pounced on an unsuspecting Kiara.

"Oof!" Said Kiara, as Kovu pushed her aside. She batted at him, and he pushed her paws away. Claws were sheathed of course. Flipping onto her back, she pulled Kovu down with her and pushed as hard as she could with her hind legs. Kovu tumbled forward, and fell down into the dust.

"Ouch! You know, that's playing dirty." Kovu said.

"Still fair and square."

"Oh yeah? Well, take this!" Said Kovu as he scooped some sand from the ground and tossed it into Kiara's face."

"Hey! That's mean you know!" Cried Kiara, as she rubbed her eyes, trying to get the sand out.

"Oh come on. It's only a little sand"

"Yeah whatever. Let's just get up to the main den."

Kiara and Kovu climbed up the pile of rocks that lead to the main den of Pride Rock. There, they met Simba, who was taking a catnap in the sun. Kiara went up to Simba and jostled him awake.

"Huh? What?" Said Simba, as he got up to see who had woke him up.

"Hey dad! Me and Kovu were just on our way to the dens. I wanted to say hi!"

"Oh, uh, yeah, hi Kiara. Now if you could let me sleep, that would be nice….." Suggested Simba as he stretched back out, opening his mouth in an impressive yawn.

"Well, okay. See ya then!" Kiara figured Simba didn't want to talk right now. Oh well, she would just talk to her mom instead. Kiara went of to find Nala, her mom. She and Kovu went to the traditional resting place of the lionesses, a place where the lounged around when not on hunts.

Kiara decided that she had to tell one other lion about what she was doing with the hyenas. Kovu knew, but Kiara wanted advice from a wiser lion. So she decided she could trust her mother. Eventually they reached the rocks on which the lionesses were sunning themselves.

There was Nala! She would talk to her. Nala was conversing with Sarafina, an older lioness who didn't hunt anymore.

"Hey uh, Kovu? Could you leave me alone while I talk to my mom?" She asked.

"Yeah, sure Kiara. I'll be back soon then." Replied Kovu, as he turned around and walked off, probably to grab some food. Kiara then approached her mother.

"Hey, mom? Can I talk to you?"

"Sure! What is it Kiara?" Asked Nala.

"Well, I want to talk to you alone."

"Okay then…. Sarafina, could you leave us for a few moments?"

"Sure Nala, I'm sure you two have some things to talk about." Said Sarafina, as she got up, stretched, and walked away to another rock.

"So then….. What is is Kiara?" Inquired Nala.

"Well, I have a bit of a problem."

"Does it have anything to do with Kovu?"

"No! Why does everyone assume Kovu's the problem? Simba did that too!"

"Oh, I'm sure you'll find out soon." Said Nala, with a knowing smile on her face.

"Anyways, my problem is a bit more problematic. You see… Well… Umm.. A few days ago, me and Kovu were on patrol at the western border. And I thought I saw an animal in the Elephant Graveyard."

"Go on."

"And then later that day, I went back to the Graveyard, to see if I could find that creature again. You know, because nothing lives in the Graveyard. And while I was exploring it, I heard an animal moaning in pain. And I went to go see if that animal needed help. And when I found the animal, it was a hyena."

"A hyena! They still live in the Graveyard? I have to go tell Simba!"

"No! Wait, mom! Don't tell dad!"

"What? Why not Kiara? If there are still hyenas in the Graveyard, the king has to be notified!"

"Just, let me finish my story mom!" I'll explain why at the end."

"Well… Alright. Go on."

"Anyways, like I was saying, I found a hyena who was moaning in pain. It told me to go away, but before I could respond, it started to twitch, and it fell down, as if it had lost control of some of it's muscles. It clutched its head, and started to scream, while it convulsed on the ground. Eventually, it passed out from the pain, and lay there, unconscious."

"It was clear that it was very sick, so I dragged it back to my den, where I gave it some food. But mom, the hyena was clearly starving. It's ribs were showing, it looked dehydrated and malnourished. It was only half alive, even without the sickness it had on it."

"So, its hyena pals aren't sharing their food. Hyenas are not reasonable, they probably didn't give it any food on purpose." Said Nala.

"No, that's not it. When It woke up, the sickness that had ravaged it the night before had taken its sight. It was blind, and scared. Once I calmed it down, and convinced it I wouldn't hurt her, she told me that it was the matriarch of her clan! The matriarch! If the leader of the clan isn't getting enough food, what about the other members? The hyena told me that they were all starving, and that they could barely feed their pups. So….. I promised the hyena that I would help feed her clan."

"What! Kiara, you can't do that!"

"Well, why not?"

"Because they are hyenas! You can't trust them."

"But mom, they are starving! What's so bad about helping animals in need?"

"Kiara, there has always been an animosity between hyenas and lions. Friendships between the two species don't end well! The last lion that befriended a hyena was Scar! And we all know how that ended."

"Listen mom, if we were starving, we would welcome food from our enemies! They really need food, their pups are dying! Pups that haven't met any lions yet. Pups, that don't know of the hatred between hyenas and lions! The hyenas really need food mom, and besides, I gave Shenzi my promise that I would help."

"Shenzi? Is that the name of the hyena you rescued?"

"Yeah."

"You're sure its name was Shenzi?" Asked Nala.

"I'm sure. Why do you want to know?" Said Kiara. She noticed that Nala had unsheathed her claws. It seemed she didn't like Shenzi.

"Oh, no reason. But back on topic. You say you promised to help feed them?"

"I did, I'm not about to break it either."

"If you promised, I'm afraid that's that. It's dishonorable to break a promise. Even to a hyena." She grumbled. "But I should still tell Simba."

"Oh, don't tell him yet mom! I don't know how he will react. Let me tell him, I'll get to it eventually."

"You're sure you will tell him?"

"Absolutely."

"Well then, I suppose it's fine. But do be careful around the hyenas Kiara, they are vile creatures, and I don't think they can be trusted."

"Don't worry mom, I don't think they are as vile as you say." Said Kiara, as she turned around, and walked back the way she came,

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 **Shenzi's POV**

Shenzi was not proud of crying. She had never, ever done it before. But last night she had let out all her built up emotions, all her disappointments and fears about her current situation, and cried.

She wasn't happy.

The problem was, her sudden loss of sight of was just that. It was too sudden. She had no time to prepare, to get ready for it. But it had happened nonetheless. And it was cruel. A blind Matriarch hadn't ever happened before. Not at such a young age anyways. Some of the older ones eventually lost their sight, but they knew it was coming. They could retire, and appoint a new Matriarch, preferably their own brood. But Shenzi didn't have any pups. She had never felt like it, and she had no one to do it with. She didn't really love anyone.

Well, that was not entirely true.

But anyways, the fact of the matter was that she had no heir, no one to pass on the responsibilities to. She had to tough it out herself. Unfortunately, she didn't have a clue as to how to do that. Without sight, she couldn't hunt, she couldn't fight, she couldn't even tell one hyena from the other unless she recognized the voice. How was she going to help out her clan like this?

"Hey Shenzi!" Came a voice from somewhere to her right. It was Banzai. She groaned mentally. She didn't want any visitors right now! She just wanted to sit here in the dark, (or what she assumed was the dark, it might have been a patch of sunlight for all she knew), and think.

"Ugh, what is it Banzai?" She growled. She heard the footsteps come to a sudden stop.

"Oh, well, I need to talk to you."

"About what?"

"Well…. I know that you need some rest, but last night, the word got around that you had in fact lost your sight. We need you to speak to our clanmates to assure them you're alright."

"We?"

"Oh, Macho and Ed are here too."

"Reporting for duty Matriarch Shenzi!" Said Macho. Meanwhile, Ed simply let out a laugh to let her know that he was there.

"Oh…. There's more of you." Muttered Shenzi. Ugh! She hated not knowing! She figured it was only Banzai, but Macho, her lieutenant, and Ed were standing next to him the whole time.

"We just need you to reassure the clan members that you are alright. We can't have rumors flying around." Said Macho.

"Also, that other slight problem of any female being able to challenge the Matriarch for her position. We need you to get them to see that you are still strong." Added Banzai.

"Well, right. Are any of them assembled anyplace?"

"We took the liberty of gathering all fifty-four of us in the ravine where most of us sleep. They were all already there anyway, sleeping. We just told them to stay put."

"Slackers. Why aren't they off hunting?"

"Well, because the sun hasn't even come up yet."

"Whatever! That's no reason not to have a patrol out!" What Shenzi really didn't like was that she didn't know the time of day.

"Well, anyways, they still need to hear from you."

"Okay. One of you, lead the way."

"I will!" Volunteered Banzai. She then heard the scuffling of footsteps, which she assumed was him turning around. Then he started to hum again. Gah! She hated that humming! Unfortunately, it was the easiest way for her to follow Banzai. Just follow the sound of the annoying humming. She got up, and went after Banzai. She heard the heavy, purposeful footsteps of Macho to her right, and the sputtering of Ed to her left. Banzai remained somewhere in front of her.

Suddenly, she stepped on a sharp rock. She felt it poke through the pads of her paw, and she stumbled forward. She thrust out her feet to catch herself, and she left herself skid forward. Phew. She hadn't fallen.

"Are you okay Shenzi?" Asked the voice of Banzai.

"Banzai, I'm fine. Now keep moving!"

"Sorry sorry, I'll keep going."

Eventually, Banzai stopped humming. Shenzi decided to stop walking as well. Had they arrived?

"Okay Shenzi, we are on a small ledge. If you walk forward a few feet, you'll be at the edge. That's where you will address the hyenas. I'll tell you when to stop. And be sure to look down about forty-five degrees, so it looks more authentic." Said Macho.

Shenzi strained her ears. Indeed, she heard somewhere below her the sound of a bunch of animals muttering, whispering amongst themselves. Banzai was right, she had to put any rumors to rest. She stepped forward until she felt Macho tap her on the shoulder. She stopped, then looked down like Macho had told her. The whispering below her stopped immediately.

"Hello my friends!" She started. She heard some appreciative murmurs in response.

"Now, I'm sure, some of you have heard about my recent affliction. I am here to say for sure that yes, I am indeed blind." Shenzi heard some gasps at this proclamation.

"Don't worry, I can assure you that while I may be cursed with this blasted misfortune, I can still perform the Matriarchal duties. I can still lead us. I can still get us through this famine. The way I see it, the blindness is just one of the many prices I have to pay to see us through this. And it isn't the worst. Almost all of us have had pups die from hunger. We have all lost family members. We all have had to suffer. But we are still here aren't we? We haven't yet perished from this blasted earth, even though it seems nature itself conspires against us. Even though those stinking lions push for us to die, we haven't yet. We are still here! And I can tell you, I am absolutely certain that it will stay that way, no matter what cost I have to pay. I am still your Matriarch. I am still strong. I will see us through this." Shenzi said, as she finished her speech. She felt rather satisfied by it. It wasn't too bad, for coming up with it on the spot. She started to back up, when she heard voice ring out from the crowd.

"You're still strong? Yeah right!"

Shenzi froze. She recognized that voice. It was a female hyena called Mabaya! **A/N: Mabaya means 'evil' in swahili**. Mabaya was always questioning her orders, and she had made it clear she didn't like Shenzi. However, Shenzi was stronger, and had forced Mabaya to submit to her, the Matriarch. Unfortunately, It seemed Mabaya was now seizing an opportunity to challenge Shenzi.

"I say a blind Matriarch is a weak, useless Matriarch! As per my right as a female and member of this clan, I challenge you, Shenzi, for the leadership of the hyenas!"

Unfortunately, that was true. As a female, and a clan member, she had the right to challenge Shenzi for the position as Matriarch. Most of the time, this simply didn't happen. But every once in awhile, a Matriarch did lose their position to a challenge.

When Mabaya issued her challenge, Shenzi heard some gasps of disapproval. Which was good. There were still hyenas who trusted her. Shenzi decided to answer Mabaya with a growl,

"Mabaya, the right to issue a challenge remains yours. If you want to fight, we'll do it right now." Shenzi then turned around and addressed Banzai and Macho. "Okay Banzai, I need you to tell me which way she comes from. I won't be able to see it, so I'm going to count on you."

"But Shenzi, you shouldn't have to fight while you're blind! These challenges sometimes end in death! You are still the Matriarch, just tell her to back down! Who cares about honor?" Said Banzai. He sounded a bit desperate, especially when he mentioned the possibility of death.

"It's not about honor or pride, if I back down, it's a forfeit. And she would automatically win. There is now way I am letting a brat like her become the Matriarch."

"But Shenzi!"

"No Banzai! Now come on. I need you to help me win this."

"Alright alright. Just…. make sure to grind her face into the ground. And don't die." He added quickly.

"Right. Let's go." They walked down the ledge, and this time Shenzi made sure not to slip. Banzai tapped her on the shoulder, then directed her to a spot some feet in front of her. Shenzi was a little nervous. Since she was blind, this would be a little tough. Above her, Macho shouted out the rules of the fight, and she heard Mabaya take her position. Speaking of rules, there weren't many, all you had to do was prove you could beat your opponent, even if that meant killing her.

"Hey Shenzi, you ready for this?" Shenzi heard the sarcastic voice of Mabaya sneering at her.

"Oh don't worry Mabaya, this won't take long." Replied Shenzi confidently. In truth, she wasn't so confident. This would suck, even if it went well. She hoped Maumbu would be ready to treat some wounds.

"The challenge on the position of Matriarch Shenzi shall be resolved as is the tradition! When the word is given, they shall fight, and the victor who has proved herself stronger shall become the Matriarch! Okay then, three, two one….. Go!" Macho shouted.

Shenzi readied herself.

"Dodge it!" She heard Banzai cry. She immediately backed up up a few feet, and she heard Mabaya land in front of her. She had pounced as soon as the contest began! A dirty trick. She lashed out in front, hoping to scratch with her adversary. She felt her claws meet fur, and a sudden gasp of pain from Mabaya. Yes! She had scored a hit!

"On your right!" Came the voice of Banzai. She jumped away, hoping she wouldn't trip.

"Right again!" Said Banzai. This time, she extended her claws and clawed in that direction. Unfortunately, she didn't feel any contact this time.

"Behind you!"

Shenzi tried to jump forward, but it was too late. She felt Mabaya land on top of her, and start to claw her back. Shenzi rolled on her side, tossing Mabaya off. She then hoped she wasn't miscalculating, and leaped to where she thought her opponent was. It turned out she was only partially correct. She landed on Mabaya, but slipped, and hit her head on the ground. Ouch! She tried to get up, but Mabaya slammed into her with her shoulder.

She tried to get up, but then she felt claws rip into her side. Grimacing from pain, she tried to hit Mabya again, but couldn't find her. Probably sensing victory, Mabaya moved closer to try to deal a finishing blow.

"Straight up! Jump!" Yelled Banzai. Well, that made no sense, thought Shenzi, but she supposed he was the one that could see the fight. She jumped up, and heard an 'oof' below her, as if someone had missed a pounce. When she landed, it was right on top of Mabaya. Shenzi immediately seized her chance, and started to claw long gashes into the traitorous brat. It felt good, to be inflicting pain onto someone who had insulted her.

Mabaya rolled onto her back, a risky maneuver, since the stomach was exposed. But then Mabaya started to claw at Shenzi. They both grappled each other, rolling around in the dust, trying to hit the other. Shenzi was careful not to let go, because if Mabaya got away, She would lose the advantage.

She felt her ear, her muzzle, her shoulder, and her neck all bleeding. Mabaya aimed primarily for the head. So she was probably trying to kill her. But Shenzi felt Mabaya start to tire. She lunged and bit her as hard as she could. A sharp yelp told her she had hit her mark. Mabaya went limp, and Shenzi stood over her vanquished opponent, smiling with pride. She had done it! Even though she was blind, she had defeated Mabaya!

"Shenzi? Are you alright? Said Banzai, his voice coming from somewhere close to her left. Shenzi got off Mabaya, and she felt her defeated adversary scamper away.

"Yeah Banzai, I'm more than fine. I feel great!"

"But you're bleeding. Come on, let's get you patched up at Maumbu's."

"Just a second. Banzai, are all the hyenas watching?" She asked. She wanted to say something.

"Yeah, they're all still here." Replied Banzai. Shenzi raised her head and proclaimed:

"Well then, that's finished! Now, does anyone else want to call me weak!?" At those words, a chorus of 'no's' echoed throughout the ravine. "Yeah, that's right. Now, those of you who should be on hunting duty, get to it. The rest of you, make yourselves useful." She heard the hyenas disperse, and eventually, all the noises faded away.

"Okay, now do you want to get those scratches treated? Some of them look pretty deep." Said Banzai, concern in his voice.

"Yeah, I suppose so. Where is Maumbu?"

"I'm right here." Said Maumbu, somewhere off to her right.

"Of course you are. Now then, are any of my wounds life threatening?"

"No, but they will hurt if I don't give you something to numb the pain." Replied Maumbu.

"Get on with it then." Maumbu started to rub something on her scratches. It stung!

"Ow!"

"If you don't grit your teeth and stay still, this will take longer than it has too." Reminded Maumbu.

"You be quick! Ouch!" Off to the side, she heard Banzai snicker.

"Banzai, if I hear your amusement one more time, I will tear your throat out!" She heard him swallowing, and things were quiet again. Eventually Maumbu finished his work.

"Okay, I'm done. Just no more exercise for today. You might start bleeding again. You should be fine for tomorrow though."

"Okay, that's good. Now, I have to go talk Macho. I want to talk to him about the hunts."

"Well Shenzi, if you want to go talk to Macho, you will have to wait. He already left with his hunting party, when you gave the word." Said Banzai.

"Well, at least he's efficient." Shenzi muttered to herself. "Okay then, there isn't much left to do today then. I can't hunt, and that was pretty much it for things I did…." That thought left Shenzi feeling depressed. There really wasn't a whole lot for her to do then was there? All she did every day was to keep hunting, desperately trying to get enough food for all of them. And now, she couldn't hunt…

Banzai must have noticed her frown, because she suddenly felt him rub up against her. She pushed him away.

"What's wrong Shenzi?"

"Banzai, I don't know. I just don't know. What am I supposed to do now?"

"If you need time to think, I know just where to do that." Offered Banzai.

"I'll just leave _you_ _two_ alone then." Said Maumbu, in a strange tone of voice. She heard him walk away.

"Why did he use that tone of voice?" Said Shenzi, mostly to herself.

"Umm, I have…. got no idea!" Said Banzai. Somehow, he didn't sound so convincing. Oh well, it didn't matter.

"So Banzai, where is this spot of yours where you go to think?"

"It's down one of these caves. Way down past where we normally spend our time."

"Fine then. Lead the way." She said.

She heard Banzai move off, with that infernal humming again. Sighing, she tried to follow the sound. After a few minutes of walking, she started to get frustrated. She had already tripped three times, and since she couldn't see where they were going, it was impossible to tell how much farther. They had been steadily going downhill, probably further and further down into the winding caves. Then, Banzai stopped. She could tell because she had bumped into him, pushing him forward into the ground.

"Ouch!"

"Oh, I'm sorry, did you bump your head?" Shenzi said, laying the sarcasm on thick.

"Yeah! No thanks to you."

"Well, aside from being wimpy, what are you planning on doing down here?"

"I was going to tell you that we made it here, before you so rudely pushed me over."

"Uh! Banzai, just hurry it up. Where are we?"

"Well, we aren't quite there yet, we still gotta hop down this inactive geyser."

"Down a geyser? Are you insane?"

"No don't worry, it's fine. I fell down it by accident a few months ago, and it was alright. Just walk forward about three steps, then jump forward. You'll be fine!"

"Somehow, I don't feel reassured. Okay then, but you first."

"Here I go, and….. oomph!" Banzai let out a grunt when he landed. Shenzi followed Banzai's directions, and then jumped down herself. Unfortunately, she was a few inches off, and her hind legs clipped the edge. She tumbled into a somersault, and fell down into the geyser. Fortunately, Banzai was there to break her fall.

"Oof! Geez, you nearly killed me!" Said Banzai. Shenzi had landed on him, so the landing wasn't too bad at all. She got up, and brushed herself off.

"Well then, now that we have successfully tested the safety of jumping into an inactive geyser, what are we down here for?"

"Well Shenzi, we are in a small cave. Except in this cave, there are these beautiful rocks that sparkle white, and cover the walls and ceilings! They are like miniature underground suns! There is actually some light down here, and it comes from these crystals! It's, it's amazing to look at! It's just simply wonderful!"

"Oh. Great."

"Yeah! Aren't they just…. Oh. Right." It seemed Banzai realized his mistake, because he paused, and his voice trailed off. "I'm sorry Shenzi, I forgot that… Well, you know."

Shenzi frowned. This was certainly a brutal reminder that she couldn't see.

"Don't worry, It may look bad now, but we'll get through it."

"Easy for you to say, you aren't the one with the infirmity."

"Shenzi, don't call it an infirmity! You still look very…." Banzai suddenly trailed off.

"Very what, Banzai?" Shenzi heard Banzai swallow. He had been about to say something, but he cut himself off."

"Uhh, physically fit. You still look physically fit."

"Oh. Well, that isn't the problem."

"It doesn't matter if the problem was worse, I have known you since we were pups Shenzi, you can get through anything."

"Sure, but can the clan get through anything? Banzai, there's less and less food every day, if something doesn't change soon, we'll all starve. And we just lost another hunter. I can't hunt for us anymore. All I can do now is sit around, and eat up the food supply." She paused. "Banzai, what am I going to do to get us to survive this?"

"Don't worry Shenzi, we'll work something out." At that moment, she felt him rub up against her again. And this time, she didn't push him off.

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 **Well! I'm pleased with this chapter! 5200 words! Anyways, it seems Kiara has fully commited herself to helping the hyenas, and Shenzi is desperately trying to keep up with life in the Graveyard while blind. Its hard! Anyhow, if you liked this chapter, please leave a review! The longer the better. Anonymous reviews work fine. Constructive criticism accepted. No flaming!**


	10. Rain and Forgiveness

**I got this idea from a story called 'A Light for everyone' by Alex Draco. The beginning of this story is similar to the beginning of his. However, my story goes in a bit of a different direction. But it was inspired by that story! You should go check it out, it's very well written in my opinion. One more thing. I am using some of Tearthgrrl OC's, just because they really add to the story. Tearthgrrl hasn't added anything to her profile for three years now, so I figured it would be okay to use some of her OC's. But credit where it's due!**

 **Tearthgrrl OC's:**

 **Maumbu- Eds big brother, a healer, sort of like Rafiki.**

 **Hasina- Maumbu's mate**

 **By the way, whenever you see : ()()()()()()(()(())(), it means the point of view is changing. Also, I did some research and it turns out that even if a person is totally blind, they will still be able to see random lights and colors, those lights and colors just don't correspond to what is actually in front of them. But for the purpose of this story, total blindness will mean that all the person will be able to see is darkness. No lights or colors, just a black void. To clear things up, 'Macho' means 'vigilant' in swahili. And the name is pronounced 'maco' don't pronounce the ch sound.**

 **Anyways, on with the fanfic**!

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Banzai's POV

Banzai and Shenzi walked back up and out of the cave. Banzai kept up his humming, making sure Shenzi could follow him. Despite the fact that he knew that Shenzi was feeling a bit depressed, Banzai himself felt as happy as he could be. He had never, ever gotten that close to her before!

He had seen that Shenzi was frowning, so he decided to rub his side next to hers, in an attempt to try to get her to calm down and get her to cheer up. Whenever he had tried to do something like this before, Shenzi had always pushed him away, and then whacked him upside the head for it. Of course, affection in that more extreme form was not Banzai's current goal, but just a little bit for the hyena he had always admired seemed fine to him. Shenzi had probably permitted it this time because she had recently lost her sight, which was scary for any animal, even for a strong willed hyena like Shenzi. Amid that confusion, some affection from her childhood friend hadn't gone amiss.

After a few more minutes of walking, they finally reached the mouth of the cave. To Banzai's dismay, it had started to rain.

"Hey! It's wet out here. I guess it's raining?" Asked Shenzi.

"Yeah. It's been awhile since it's rained in the Graveyard, hasn't it?"

"Too long. You know, it's weird. Even though we get near constant cloud cover, it's always the Pridelands that gets the refreshing downpour. Hopefully this will help somewhat. This place is as dry as the desert. Probably because we border the desert of course, but that shouldn't mean we get so little rain. We also border the Pridelands."

"Well, you can't have everything in life."

"Huh. Don't I know it Banzai. Speaking of things we don't have, how about you go off and try to find us some food!"

Banzai sighed. He had hoped to spend more time with Shenzi. But an order was an order.

"Okay then. I'll go and find Macho's hunting party." Banzai turned to walk away. Then he remembered, how was Shenzi supposed to get back?"

"Hey Shenzi, you don't need someone to guide you back?" Shouted Banzai. Shenzi, who had been standing next to the cave mouth, scratching herself, froze in realization. She sighed, then turned towards him.

"Ugh! Fine, fine. Hurry up!" She shouted, once again agitated.

"Okay then." Responded Banzai. He walked past Shenzi, and began his humming again. He heard Shenzi following him, and they proceeded to walk through the Graveyard in silence, absent Banzai's humming. Eventually they reached their elephant skull, and Banzai walked inside.

"We're here!" He called. Behind him, he heard Shenzi flop down onto the floor.

"Okay. So we're here." Replied Shenzi. "Are you going to help Macho hunt or what?" She demanded.

"Oh right! Sorry, I'll get to it." Said Banzai, as he left the skull. He looked behind him to see Shenzi lying down, continuing to scratch herself with her hind leg. Banzai ran off into the rain to find Macho.

He saw in the mud some footprints, presumably from a hunting party. Hunting parties were the only time they were allowed aboveground, since Shenzi wanted to limit any exposure to lions. The lions didn't know there were still hyenas in the Graveyard, and Shenzi wanted it to stay that way. Of course, those two lions who had helped Shenzi when she needed it now knew, but they hopefully wouldn't elicit a war against them.

The problem was, it wouldn't be a war, or even a battle. It would be a slaughter.

Banzai ran over a hill covered in the ribcages of long deceased elephants. Up ahead, he saw Macho's hunting party. It didn't look like they were having any luck. They were dripping wet from being in the rain, and they hadn't yet caught anything. Banzai approached them.

"Hey Macho!" At his words, Macho turned around to look at Banzai.

"Hello Banzai. What brings you out here?" He said.

"Matriarch Shenzi ordered me to assist with the hunts. I see it's going as well as normal."

"Indeed it is. Not a single mouse or rodent yet. I hope other hunting parties have better luck. Anyhow, we were about to split up into groups of two to cover more ground."

"Good idea"

"Right then. We all have partners, except for me. I was going to go alone, but since you're here, that makes an even number." Macho turned around again to face the assembled hyenas. "Kojo and Leka, go south, and search the ravines for animals taking shelter from the rain. Fahama and Ritzo, go west, check the skulls for rats and other small animals. Lorato and Zaire, go east, and check the riverbank for reptiles. Make sure you stay hidden. Me and Banzai shall go north, and search the geysers. Be back here in a few hours, but if you caught something, take it straight to the hyenas that need it. Now move out!" Called Macho. The hyenas went off in their respective directions, and Banzai and Macho went in theirs.

As the rain poured down, visibility started to decrease. Banzai had to squint to keep the water out of his eyes. So when he and Macho entered a ravine, he was glad for the cover over his head. Unfortunately, it all put him in a bad mood. Being wet and hungry did that to you.

"Hey Banzai! You go over there, there might be some creatures warming themselves next the geysers." Banzai grunted an affirmative as he shook water from his fur coat. Even down here, there was still some rain making it's way through. The red geysers were plenty warm though, and they still belched colored steam.

Banzai always wondered why certain geysers were green, or red, but their steam always stayed the same color. That meant that certain ravines were painted a permanent red, and were not very easy to hunt in. You had to crouch low to be able to see clearly. Which was what Banzai was doing now, as he searched for any sign of edible entrees.

A few hours of crouching underneath the steam yielded nothing. No food had been found. Bitterly, Banzai called out to Macho.

"Macho! I think that's it. There's nothing down here." From further within the ravine, the voice of Macho came in reply.

"I suppose you're right. I can't find anything either. I hope the other had better luck."

"I hope so too, I'm starving."

"Aren't we all." Muttered Macho as he approached Banzai. Banzai looked at Macho. Normally Macho was more stoic than this, and yet it seemed he was actually in just a bad mood as Banzai.

"What's wrong Macho?"

"Banzai, the food situation is the problem. If our hunts keep going as badly as this, we're all going to starve, but it seems it's happening faster that I had originally predicted."

"I wonder where all the little animals went. There used to be a lot more rodents in the Graveyard than this."

"They probably died off actually. I fear we may have over hunted."

"Over hunted! But we're barely feeding ourselves as it is!"

"Which is the problem."

"Well, this sucks."

"No kidding."

Banzai and Macho started their walk back to the caves they lived in. The rain kept coming down, and the lack of food in their stomachs only drove home the problem they had. Of course, Banzai was a bit more worried over how Shenzi was doing than how the rest of the clan was doing.

For personal reasons of course.

Just as Banzai was thinking of Shenzi, Macho spoke up.

"So Banzai, how is Shenzi? She seemed fine after the fight, but she got scratched up real bad."

"Oh don't worry, Matriarch Shenzi is doing fine. Becoming blind didn't take away her confidence." Banzai replied.

"That's certainly her defining attribute. She won't let anything get in the way of her and her clan."

"She's certainly the leader we needed when we got kicked out of the Pridelands."

"She held us together and saved us from the vengeful lions. For that alone, I don't think any Matriarch has ever had a more loyal following."

"Except for Mabaya, she isn't part of that loyal following ." Added Banzai.

"Mabaya is nothing but a troublemaker. She's been sorted out more than once. Shenzi won't let her do any real damage." Affirmed Macho.

"Indeed." Macho and Banzai the arrived at the cave mouth that lead to the living quarters of the hyenas. They entered, and picked up their pace when they heard excited shouting coming from up ahead. When they reached their clan, they saw they were all crowded around the carcass of a dead antelope.

"Hey, where did the antelope come from? Asked Macho.

"Hey lieutenant Macho! Lorato and Zaire from your hunting party brought it in a few minutes ago. They said they found it stuck in the mud, so they slit it's throat and dragged it back here!" Responded a upbeat hyena called Reezo.

"That's great! Have we touched it yet?" Said Macho.

"No sir, we are still waiting for all the pups to get here. You know how Shenzi decreed they eat first." Replied Reezo.

"Excellent! And it seems there comes the missing pups now!" Said Macho, as he gestured to three pups excitedly running toward the carcass, with big smiles on their faces. All the hyena pups gathered round, and began to dig into the antelope with glee. Banzai supposed this was their first taste of real meat, not just the tough stuff from rats and birds. It seemed they were enjoying it too.

Eventually the pups ate their fill, and the mothers took their portion. The males, and females without pups took to gnawing on the bones with the nutritional food still on them. Banzai grabbed what was left of a haunch, intent on taking it to Shenzi. She was probably hungry.

Banzai trotted out of the caves, then ran as quick as he could through the rain. Eventually he reached the skull he had last seen Shenzi at. He went inside, and looked around, but to his surprise, Shenzi wasn't there. He turned around and left, running back to the cave he was just at. When he finally returned, he set down his meat and looked around here as well. But he didn't see his best friends amid all the hyenas. He walked up to a member of Macho's hunting party, Fahama. She was the only female in the Macho's group, and since females were higher ranking than males in hyena society, she was technically second in command of the hunting party. Macho was Shenzi's lieutenant however, so he still was higher in the hierarchical ladder.

"Hey, Fahama?" He asked her. Fahama looked up from the bone she was gnawing.

"Banzai? What is it?"

"Well, I was just wondering if you had seen Shenzi anywhere?"

"Matriarch Shenzi? You mean after her fight with Mabaya?"

Banzai nodded.

"Actually, I did. On my way back from the skulls, I saw Shenzi walking through the rain with Ed leading her. They were going east, towards the border. I don't know what she is doing there, but I suppose her business is her own."

"Why would she go out that way?" Banzai wondered aloud.

"Like I said, I don't know." Replied Fahama.

"Hey Fahama? Could I ask a favor of you then?"

"What's the favor? To help you go find the Matriarch?"

"Well yes." Said Banzai. Fahama finished off her meat, then got up and licked her lips.

"Okay then. But I don't relish being out in that rain."

"Thank you anyways."

"You're welcome I suppose." Fahama and Banzai trotted out of the cave, back into the elements. Fahama led the way, since she was the one who had seen Shenzi. They walked through some ribcages, and around some skulls that towered over them. Eventually, Fahama called out to Banzai over the sound of the pounding water.

"I saw them around here! Search for pawprints!" Banzai knelt down, scanning the mud for any sign of his friend's pawprints. After some time had passed, he called to Fahama.

"I found their prints! They Lead further east!"

"Alright then. Follow those pawprints!" Banzai and Fahama ran in the direction the Pawprints led, and the rain kept pouring down.

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Kiara's POV

Kiara, her mom Nala, and Kovu were both dragging the carcasses of a wildebeest. It was a big one, so it required a team effort. Since all three of them knew of the existence of the hyenas in the Graveyard, they all were helping Kiara get food to the starving animals. Her mom still showed apprehension at hunting for the hyenas in secret, but she had agreed not to tell Simba about it.

Earlier that day, it had begun to drizzle. By now however, it was a downpour. Kiara wanted to hurry this up so she could get back to her warm dry den with Kovu. She was sure her companions felt the same about the rain. As they walked over the savannah with the meat, Kiara glanced about. They were the only animals around. Kiara didn't blame them though. she wished she wasn't out here either. But a promise was a promise, and she wasn't going to break it.

After a half hour of dragging, and getting wet, she finally reached the border of the Graveyard. Kiara got up and squinted, looking for any sign of Shenzi, or any other hyenas. Shenzi had told her that she would be here to collect the food, no matter what. Kiara figured Shenzi just must have been late.

"Is this where we're supposed drop off the carcass?" Asked Kovu.

"I hope so!" Said Nala, some impatience in her voice.

"Don't worry, Shenzi said right here, this is exactly where she said we should out the meat" responded Kiara. "All we have to do is wait for her to show up, and then we can leave."

"Right, we're waiting for Shenzi." Said Nala, with some malice in her voice.

"Look mom, I don't know why exactly you hate Shenzi, but please do try not to attack her. She wouldn't even see it coming. Quite Literally in this case."

Kiara heard Nala snort.

"Hey! I see two hyenas down over there!" Said Kovu, as he pointed at two approaching figures. He was right. If Kiara squinted, she could make out Shenzi trailing behind another hyena coming toward them in the rain. The hyena leading her had his tongue sticking out, and he was laughing about something.

"Hey Shenzi! Over here!" Called Kiara. She saw the female hyena's ears perk up, and they picked up the pace to get to them. When they made it, The male hyena stopped dead, and sat down with an idiotic expression of happiness on his face. Shenzi of course, didn't see it and she bumped right into him.

"Ow! Watch it Ed! Next time, tell me when you've stopped!" Said Shenzi. The hyena called Ed simply sputtered in reply.

"Yeah whatever. Anyways, hello to you lions." Said Shenzi. She must have smelled us, thought Kiara.

"Hello to you too Shenzi. Anyways, we brought you the meat I promised, and we would be happy to drag it wherever you might need it. It's quite big." At those words, Kovu and Nala gave a groan.

"Who else is with you Kiara? Asked Shenzi, who had suddenly tensed up.

"Just my mom and Kovu. You already met Kovu."

"Right, Kovu. Who's your mom?"

"A lioness called Nala" answered Kiara. Nala took a step forward and offered a terse greeting.

"Hello _hyena_."

"Huh, hello to you too Nala." Replied Shenzi.

"Don't call me by my name. You haven't earned that right." Said Nala, with a scowl.

"Fine. You win. You never liked me much anyways."

"Hah! I have good reason to dislike you."

"Well, I guess you're right. I did try to eat you as a cub."

"That is just the least of the problems."

Shenzi paused. Then she sighed.

"Look Nala, I'm sorry about all that. I did it on purpose, but that was a long time ago. I wouldn't do it again if I relived my life."

Nala snarled, now clearly more angry.

"You're just saying that because I could tear your throat out right now, and you couldn't do a single thing about it!"

Kiara saw Shenzi tense again, then visibly try to relax again.

"Nala, I know we bled the Pridelands dry when we were there, but you have to understand, there was a reason for it!"

"And what reason might that be!?"

Kiara and Kovu looked at each other, clearly worried about this escalating.

"If you had to live every day of your life hungry, hungry without knowing when the next time you might be able to eat, you would be a glutton too." Responded Shenzi. "The conditions in the Graveyard aren't all fine and dandy! They never were! We never, ever, got enough to eat, so when we finally got the chance to gorge ourselves, we took it! You lions never have to worry about food, there are herds just waiting for you to come knock in their door! Heck, you have animals practically gift wrapped for you! You don't know what hunger is like!"

"You know Shenzi, that actually makes a little sense! But that still doesn't explain why you _tried to kill me as a cub_!"

"Nala, when that happened, we were told to do so by Scar! He gave us that order, it wasn't cooked up by us."

"You still carried out that order Shenzi, you still almost killed Simba and I."

"That was a long time ago! We were young, gullible, and lacked the vision to see what our actions would bring! Nala, I know you hate me, but trust me, I am not so hasty to make stupid decisions anymore. I'm the leader of my clan! I have to act for them now, not me! Believe It when I say that I want to save my hyenas over everything else! Nala, you don't like me, but I don't hold any contempt for you anymore."

"Shenzi, I'll believe it when I see it."

"Nala, I'm sorry. What else needs to be said?"

Kiara looked at her mom, who had just sheathed her claws again. Suddenly Nala looked thoughtful. As though she was reconsidering. After some moments of silence, Nala spoke up.

"Shenzi, you know, I never thought a hyena could change. But I can see it in your eyes that you're telling the truth. Ironic as that is, it is an animals eyes that can never lie. And yours weren't. So, apology accepted."

Kiara saw Shenzi with a surprised expression on her face. Then, she relaxed

"Ok. Thank you for that I suppose. Now, If we're all done talking, I would appreciate it if we hauled this wildebeest over to our dens, so we can eat it. Our pups need it."

"Alright then. Kiara, Kovu, help me." Said Nala, as she bit into the wildebeest again. Kiara walked over to her mom and bit into the animal too. Frankly, she was surprised that Nala was so quick to forgive too. The expression on Kovu's face told her he was thinking the same thing. Why did Nala forgive Shenzi so quickly anyway? She had made it clear she didn't like hyenas at all, and yet she now showed no malice to this one.

She had said it was because she knew the hyena was telling the truth, but even so, that was a quick mood change. She supposed Nala at least knew what she was doing. Kiara knew better than anyone that keeping grudges was bad. Her experience with Zira had certainly taught her that.

"Okay. Someone describe where exactly we are." Said Shenzi.

"Well, up ahead I see three Elephant skulls sitting on three different hilltops. Beneath those is one big crevice." Kiara supplied.

"Here is far enough then. I can't let you see exactly where we live. You know, for security reasons." Shenzi added.

"You'll be able to drag this all the way there?" Asked Kovu. He seemed doubtful.

"I can." Replied Shenzi. She seemed confident.

"All right then, Shenzi, goodbye for now." Said Kiara, as she and her companions turned away. They began to walk out of the Graveyard. As they exited the valley filled with bones, Kiara looked back at Shenzi. She saw that two more hyenas had entered the scene. So Shenzi could drag the carcass, just with a little help. Kiara smiled as they walked away through the rain.

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 **Nice! Another chapter completed! Well, it seems things are turning out well for our Characters!. Sorry if the second part of this chapter seemed rushed. Anyways, if you liked this chapter, leave a review. Guest reviews work too! Constructive criticism accepted. No flaming**!


	11. Appointments and Swimming

**I got this idea from a story called 'A Light for everyone' by Alex Draco. The beginning of this story is similar to the beginning of his. However, my story goes in a bit of a different direction. But it was inspired by that story! You should go check it out, it's very well written in my opinion. One more thing. I am using some of Tearthgrrl OC's, just because they really add to the story. Tearthgrrl hasn't added anything to her profile for three years now, so I figured it would be okay to use some of her OC's. But credit where it's due!**

 **Tearthgrrl OC's** :

 **Maumbu- Eds big brother, a healer, sort of like Rafiki.**

 **Hasina- Maumbu's mate**

 **By the way, whenever you see : ()()()()()()(()(())(), it means the point of view is changing. Also, I did some research and it turns out that even if a person is totally blind, they will still be able to see random lights and colors, those lights and colors just don't correspond to what is actually in front of them. But for the purpose of this story, total blindness will mean that all the person will be able to see is darkness. No lights or colors, just a black void. To clear things up, 'Macho' means 'vigilant' in swahili. And the name is pronounced 'maco' don't pronounce the ch sound.**

 **Anyways, on with the fanfic**!

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 **Shenzi's POV**

Shenzi, Banzai, Ed, and a female hyena called Fahama were dragging the carcass of a wildebeest across the stony ground of the Graveyard. Shenzi didn't see where exactly where they were going, so she trusted Banzai and Fahama to go to the right place. Ed of course just dragged it where everyone else was going. He didn't think too much.

A few minutes earlier, the lioness called Kiara, another lioness called Nala, and a male lion called Kovu had given her this wildebeest carcass. Kiara was keeping her promise to help the hyenas, since she had felt sorry for how Shenzi's clan had to live. Shenzi remembered the last time she had befriended a lion. Scar, who was called Taka back then, had no friends, so when he met Shenzi and her companions, they became his friends. Back when they were pups, it was actual friendship, and they and Taka would play all day among the bones. But when he grew up, he became consumed by thoughts of jealousy and revenge. After that, he only kept with the hyenas so he could use them to ascend to the throne.

Shenzi kept her teeth clamped into the wildebeest. The lions hadn't lied, it was certainly a big one. But that was good, it meant more food for her hyenas. Suddenly, they stopped moving. Banzai spoke up.

"Uh, hey Shenzi?" He said.

"What?" She responded.

"Well, where exactly do you want us to take this? To Maumbu, or to the living dens?"

"And why would we take it to Maumbu's?"

"Well, I don't know,,, because he's the healer? And he might need some extra food?"

"Banzai, did you really think that when I got this wildebeest, I started to drag it back here without any idea of where I would leave it?" Asked Shenzi. Before Banzai could answer, she resumed. "Of course I know where I want us to take it!"

"So then,,,,, where is that place?"

"Just haul it to the living dens. We'll eat there." Responded Shenzi.

"Okay then, I guess… Let's continue?" Said Fahama, who sounded impatient to get out of the rain.

"Yes, lets." Said Shenzi. Shenzi and her companions bit back into the wildebeest and continued their work. After a few more minutes of labor, Shenzi felt the rain stop. It didn't sound like the rain had stopped, she still heard it pounding in front of her. Shenzi supposed they must have entered a cave. Indeed, as time progressed, she heard the pitter patter fade off in the distance.

Behind her, she heard the many voices of her clan members. As they got closer, she heard some excited calls, and the sound of more hyenas coming towards them. The sound of their paws hitting the ground as they walked came closer. Then, the weight of the wildebeest dramatically diminished, and they started to go faster. At least they had the sense to help them. The carcass was not an easy thing to drag cross country.

"Hey guys! Look at that!" Came a small voice. It must have been a pup, since it sounded so squeaky.

"Wow!"

"It's so big!"

"That's bigger than my dad!"

Shenzi smiled. The pups were amazed at the wildebeest's size. Shenzi couldn't see exactly how large it was, but it certainly was heavier than any creature she'd snared before. It probably was impressive.

"Hey Shenzi!" Came a voice above the clamor. Shenzi turned towards the sound.

"What is it Macho?" She replied.

"Well Shenzi, where did you get such a huge beast!" Macho said, sounding amazed. And if he sounded amazed, then it was for certain one huge animal.

"Sorry Macho, can't tell you that."

"Why? Is it from the Pridelands? I thought we weren't allowed to go there, according to your decree."

"Don't worry Macho, I practice what I preach. I stayed out of the Pridelands. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to make an announcement," said Shenzi, as she stood up and cleared her throat.

"Quiet down everyone! Quiet down." She shouted. After a few moments, the voices stopped. "Now, I'm sure you all are marveling at the size of this here animal. Don't worry, we'll get to eat it soon. But we can't just gobble it down. We're going to ration it. So, if any of you are hungry right now, you can eat from it until you are satisfied, not stuffed. That said, there won't be any hunting tomorrow, this animal should cover it. We'll eat it all tomorrow, lest it should rot. Now then, you may eat if you should." With that, Shenzi sat back down. She felt some hyenas push past her on their way to the carcass.

"Hey Banzai, where are you?" She said.

"I'm right, oof!, right here Shenzi! Watch it kid! He shouted. Apparently a hyena had bumped into him on his way to the wildebeest.

"Well, come here then!" She responded. She heard some more grunts as Banzai apparently pushed his way through a mass of hyenas.

"I'm here. What is it?"

"Lead me back out into the rain. And bring Macho as well. I need to talk to you both in private."

"Alright then. Should we go out first, and then I'll bring Macho second?"

"Sure. But when you get Macho, bring Fahama as well." She said.

"Okay. Follow me." Replied Banzai. He put a paw on her shoulder and guided her away from their hyena clan mates. Eventually they made it back out into the rain.

"Well, just as I got dry too" said Banzai in a whine.

"Oh quit your complaining you wuss. Now, do you remember that bull elephant skull that sat on top of the tallest hill?"

"Yeah, we used to climb up to it and play around it. Why do you ask?"

"That's where I want to go." Said Shenzi. It was purely for nostalgia reasons, when they were pups, she, Banzai, Ed, and Taka used to climb up to that bull elephant skull everyday and would sit on top of it to talk about things. It was her favorite spot from her puphood, and she wanted to visit it again, if just to comfort herself.

"All the way up there? But, how are you supposed to get up there? I mean, climbing the hill was always hard when we were younger, but without sight, and the rain…"

"I'll get up there Banzai. Let me worry about how I'm going to do it. Now take me to the base of the hill." She ordered. Banzai gave an affirmative, and he began his humming again. Shenzi figured she would wait to tell Banzai that his humming stank until after they reached their destination.

As they went through the rain, Shenzi had to strain her ears to hear Banzai. The pounding droplets of water were soaking her thoroughly, but at least it wasn't cold. They went through numerous puddles. The rain really was piling up.

"Here we are!" Shouted Banzai. Shenzi stopped, hoping they really had arrived.

"Okay then, how do you plan to get up Shenzi?" Asked Banzai.

"You're going to guide me" she replied. "Here's how this is going to work. As you climb up this here cliff, I will be right next to you. You will place my paws in the right spots, and we will proceed like that all the way up."

"You really think that's going to work? Responded Banzai.

"I'm positive. Now, where exactly do we start?..."

"Oh, uhhhh, we'll start right here." Banzai grabbed one of her paws and pulled her forward. He placed in a nook in the cliff face. Then, he proceeded to do the same with her other front paw. She heard him grunt as he himself began to climb up the rocks. Then, she felt him grab her right paw again, and he pulled her up to the next handhold.

"This way!" He called. The rocks they were climbing were all wet, and the cliff face was sheer, but if they could do it as pups, they certainly could do it now. And Shenzi wasn't going to let lack of sight stop her. She dug her claws into the cracks, waiting for Banzai to show her where the next handhold. Up they went, further and further towards their goal.

"Hey Shenzi! We got a little problem!" Called Banzai over the pounding rain."

"What is it you moron!?" Replied Shenzi, who was eager to keep moving.

"Well, we're pretty close to the top, but we've run out of places to grab on to!"

Shenzi sighed in exasperation. Banzai was probably exaggerating. Despite his physical toughness, he sometimes gave up too quickly.

"Listen Banzai, just use your claws! It can't be that hard."

"Im not kidding! I forgot how we used to do this! The rest of the climb is just smooth rock, with nowhere to climb!" He responded.

"Well then, have you ever considered going sideways until you do find a place to climb?

Banzai was silent for a few moments.

"Oh! Oh, now I see the way!" Exclaimed Banzai. Shenzi shook her head. Tsk tsk tsk, she thought. Banzai grabbed her paw again, and they shimmied sideways until Banzai began to climb further up again. Eventually, they reached the edge, and Banzai hauled her up and over.

"Well, finally. Now where is that skull of ours?" Demanded Shenzi.

"Just over there. Follow me." They entered the elephant skull, and the rain stopped soaking Shenzi. She heard it pounding the roof of the skull, and she was glad they were now inside.

"Okay Banzai, now fetch Macho and Fahama. We're going to need to talk in private."

"Alright then, I'll be back soon. Replied Banzai, as he went back outside. Shenzi heard him curse at the wetness of the rain, then she heard him slide back down the way they came. Shenzi sat down. He probably wouldn't be back for another fifteen minutes or so. She had some time to think.

The reason she wanted Banzai, Macho, and Fahama here was because she was going to make some leadership changes. Shenzi frowned. The unfortunate matter was, being blind really was restricting when it came to leading a clan of hyenas. Her only other officer was Banzai, who was second in command. Then there were the hunting lieutenants, such as Macho. Their only responsibilities were to lead the hunts. Outside of their packs, they didn't have much power.

Banzai was a good second in command, but he just wouldn't cut it anymore. She was going to appoint Macho and Fahama to higher positions that she would create. To her knowledge, a blind Matriarch like her had never happened before. There were always heirs to take over. But she didn't have any pups, and she didn't intend to have some anytime soon. So some officers to help her in the governing of the clan would be useful.

Macho was her best hunting leiutanant. He would never come back without food. He was also fiercely loyal to her, so that was a plus. He was serious, hardworking, and had experience in improvising. That would be important. Shenzi had to improvise more than once since she became Matriarch.

Fahama was also a good hyena, one who completed her hunting responsibilities no matter what. Shenzi hadn't really known Fahama as well as Macho, but she knew she was more playful than the serious Macho. The playfulness just meant that all the harsh years in the Graveyard hadn't broken her, so she was tough as well. Along with that, she was also a kind hyena who gave her food to hungry pups who needed it more. Still, she was more conservative than Shenzi when it came to that area, Shenzi very nearly starved herself to death a few days ago, it was partially why she was now blind.

Then, she heard voices from off to her left. She turned in their direction, and waited for them to come closer. It sounded like Banzai was arguing with Fahama about how exactly a hyena scaled a cliff.

"You know, it worked the first time!" Banzai shouted.

"I don't think you took into account the rain makong the rocks slippery!" Replied Fahama.

"Yeah, well at least I don't need it to be perfectly dry whenever I go for a climb!" Retorted Banzai.

"Gah! Will you two to please get along!" Came another voice, probably Macho.

It appeared they had some difficulties one their way up. Shenzi snickered as they continued to argue. She didn't know what exactly had happened, but Banzai and Fahama were bickering about it.

"Hey you out there! Hurry up and get over here!" She called. Immediately the arguing stopped, and she heard three sets of paws run inside the skull.

"Matriarch Shenzi! We're all here, as per you request!" Reported Macho.

"Albeit a bit _bruised_ but yeah, we're all here." Added Fahama.

"It wasn't my fault! retorted Banzai.

"Shut up you two. Now, this is important. I want you three to pay perfect attention to what I'm going to say. But first, what exactly happened on your way up here?" Asked Shenzi. Fahama was the first to speak up.

"Well, Banzai here thought he could try and do the climb quickly. He slipped, and fell back down onto me. Then, we _both_ fell down and hit the hard, stony ground." Said Fahama

"Alright okay! That was an accident! Not my fault!" Replied Banzai.

"Banzai, it sounds like it was _entirely_ your fault." Smirked Shenzi. "Now then, we have placed the blame, so we will move on. I bet you're wondering why you all had to climb up here."

"Actually yeah, what was the point?" Said Banzai.

"I chose here purely for nostalgia reasons. And since Banzai fell on Fahama, I now have something else to tease him about."

"Well that's just great." Muttered Banzai.

"Anyhow, listen up, this is important. Now, you see, I have a problem. Due to my rather unlucky and recent loss of sight, I might have, err, difficulties, performing certain Matriarchal tasks." Ugh. Shenzi hated admitting to weakness. Even so, the three hyenas in front of her listened with rapt attention. "Okay. So I am going create a few more offices of power, for the purpose to help me govern my clan. Banzai, you're already second in command, but I'm going to appoint Macho and Fahama as advisers, sorta like two more second in commands. Now, all I have to know is if you two are up to the job." She said, as she gestured towards Banzai's cohorts.

"Matriarch Shenzi, I never expected to be given such an honor. I will serve you as best I can until my dying breath." Pledged Macho. That sounded good.

"Well, gosh Shenzi, that's awfully nice of you.. I guess I can't decline an offer from the Matriarch. You can count on me." Added Fahama. That pleased Shenzi. Now she had three loyal advisers, including Banzai.

"Good then, that's all settled. Now, I'm going to explain how this will work. You all can make on the spot decisions, you know, like food distribution. But any major ones have to go through me. No exceptions. Macho, you will be in charge of all hunting parties. You will have jurisdiction over every hunting lieutenant. I'm counting on you to keep them organized. Fahama, you will be in charge of the living quarters and the caves. If anyone has problems, all hyenas will report to you. You need to keep things under control, and keep track of everyone at all times. I need you to know everything that goes on around here, especially when it comes to portions of meat. Banzai, you will simply keep doing what you've been doing all this time. Not too hard for you then. Well, that's what you all have to do. Any questions?"

"Yes. I have a question. What exactly have I been doing all this time?" Said Banzai. Shenzi shook her head in exasperation.

"Well, I don't know, keep hunting, keep, just, being available. That's pretty much it I guess."

"Okay" he replied.

"Don't worry Shenzi, we won't let you down." Said Macho, who stood at attention.

"I'll do my best!" Said Fahama.

"Well, if we are all set, let's get back to the dens." Said Banzai.

"Righto. Who wants to help me slide down? Said Shenzi, with a smile on her face.

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 **Kiara's POV**

Kiara yawned. She got up, stretched, and rubbed her eyes. It was morning. She looked outside the den at Pride Rock, and saw that it was still raining. It had been raining since yesterday. Kiara carefully tiptoed over the other sleeping lions, and made her way to the cave's mouth. Once there, she sat down and stared at the downpour happening outside.

Rain came down in huge droplets, splashing against the orange hues of Pride Rock. The pitter patter sound was almost peaceful to listen to. Kiara continued to sit there, just watching the rain in silence. After some time, another lion came to sit down next to her.

"Hi Kovu." Said Kiara.

"Good morning." Replied Kovu. Kovu sat down beside her, and watched the rain come down too. After a few more minutes of silence, he spoke up.

"So Kiara, whatcha thinking about?" Asked Kovu.

"Nothing much. I'm just sitting here, watching the rain. What are you thinking about?"

"Actually, I was thinking about how anyone is going to get anything done today. It's raining pretty hard out there. Are the lionesses even going to hunt?"

"Maybe everyone will stay inside today." Suggested Kiara.

"That would certainly be boring." Replied Kovu.

"I know, it would be boring." Came another voice from behind them. Simba walked up and sat down next to Kiara.

"Hey dad!" Said Kiara.

"Hello King Simba!" Added Kovu, who sat up much straighter at the king's arrival.

"Good morning to you two. Now, Kovu, I believe you said you staying inside all day would be boring." Said Simba.

"Oh, well, yeah, I mean, it would be pretty boring to be cooped up all day in this den." Replied Kovu.

"Well, you won't have to stay inside today, I have something planned for the three of us." Responded Simba.

"What is it dad?" Asked Kiara.

"Hope you two don't mind getting a little wet!" Replied Simba.

"Is it more patrols in the rain?" Asked Kovu.

"Nope! Today, we're going to have a little fun. A king has to relax sometime!"

"So,,, what are we going to do dad?"

"I'm going to teach you two how to swim!" Said Simba, with a playful gleam in his eye.

"Oh. Wait a minute, but I hate water!" Said Kovu.

"Too bad!" Said Simba. Kiara looked at her dad. He was usually so serious, and no nonsense, but all of a sudden, he seemed super playful, and happy. Kiara supposed that was the cub in him.

"Now, come on you two, before the lionesses wake up." Ordered Simba, as he bounded outside into the rain. Kiara and Kovu looked at each other, then followed him as they ran through the rain.

Simba was a few yards ahead of them, and so Kiara and Kovu had to sprint to catch up. As they ran over the deluged savannah, Kiara saw Simba head for the water hole. Eventually, they arrived at the largest body of water in the Pridelands. There were no animals at the water hole currently, probably because of the early morning and the rain.

"Okay then. Have either of you ever been swimming before?"

"Well, when I dragged Kiara out of the river." Said Kovu.

"Kovu, that hardly counts! That river was barely waist deep anyway." Added Kiara.

"Okay, so the answers no. Now, since we're all already wet, we don't have to worry about how we're going to fry off. In that case, there's a certain way we have to start this. Follow me." Simba trotted off to the water's edge, with Kiara and Kovu close behind.

"Right then. Just watch me!" Said Simba, with a smile on his face. He jumped into the water hole, and submerged. Kiara and Kovu leaned out over the water, looking for any sign of the king. Suddenly, below them, Simba jumped out of the water, grabbed them both with his paws, and dragged them in!

"Gah!" Yelled Kovu when he resurfaced. Kiara flailed with her claws, batting at the water beneath her in an effort to stay above the water.

"Calm down you two! The water isn't that deep! Try standing." Came the voice of Simba. Kiara thrust her legs down beneath her, and felt her paws touch the ground. Somewhat embarrassed, Kiara tried to pass of her previous panic by licking one of her paws. She looked over at Kovu. He was also dripping wet, and his mane hung over his eyes. He too was trying not to show his panic.

"Hey Kovu! Having fun yet?" Kiara called.

"Not exactly." Came the reply. Kovu batted at one side of his head in an effort to get water out of his ear.

"Don't worry, swimming is easy!" Said Simba, as he started to do a sort of doggy paddle around Kovu and Kiara. "Just do what I'm doing. You have to thrust your paws back and forth in the water, to keep yourself aloft. To move forward, just thrust backwards with your hind legs."

Kiara saw Kovu try to do what Simba told them. She giggled when he immediately sank, and came back up gasping for air.

"It's not funny!" Said Kovu when he saw Kiara laughing. "I'd like to see you try."

"Alright then!" Replied Kiara. She raised her paws of the ground, and did her best to thrust them back and forth. To her delight, she didn't sink! Then, she tried to move forward by kicking out her back legs. That didn't work. She instantly sank beneath the water, and had to stand back up again.

"Told you it isn't as easy as it looks." Said Kovu.

"I'll show you!" Yelled Kiara, who tried to pounce on her mate. However, she overestimated the amount of thrust she could give herself when standing in waist deep water. When she jumped, she only went a few feet forward, and landed face first back in the water.

"Show me what?" Asked Kovu, in sarcastic voice.

"This!" Kiara pulled her paw back, and splashed Kovu in the muzzle.

"Hey!" Kovu immediately splashed back. Pretty soon, they were throwing water at each other, in an effort to subdue the other. Kiara smiled as she dodged some of Kovu's efforts. She thrust her paws out, and got Kovu in the eyes!

"Okay okay, you win." Said Kovu in mock defeat.

"Hey, where did dad go?" Asked Kiara. They looked around, but the king was nowhere to be seen among the rain. Suddenly, they heard the pounding of paws over the rain, and they turned around to see Simba jump up, and cannonball right between them. The resulting splash drenched Kiara and Kovu even more, and they shook themselves off as best they could.

"Dad! That's not fair!" Said Kiara.

"Now then, I win." Said Simba, looking proud, and rather pleased with himself. Kiara laughed, now really enjoying herself. She still had to keep the hyenas a secret from Simba, but she would always love her dad.

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 **Here's another chapter for ya'll! If you thought Kiara's part was a bit short, that's because it was. It was just supposed to be a chapter filler that fleshed out Kiara and Kovu a bit more. Anyhow, things seem to be going well for our characters! Not for much longer though, just wait for the next chapter. (Evil grin) Well, its considered a fanfiction crime to read but not review! Constructive criticism accepted. No flaming**!


	12. Herbs and Zebras

**I got this idea from a story called 'A Light for everyone' by Alex Draco. The beginning of this story is similar to the beginning of his. However, my story goes in a bit of a different direction. But it was inspired by that story! You should go check it out, it's very well written in my opinion. One more thing. I am using some of Tearthgrrl OC's, just because they really add to the story. Tearthgrrl hasn't added anything to her profile for three years now, so I figured it would be okay to use some of her OC's. But credit where it's due!**

 **Tearthgrrl OC's** :

 **Maumbu- Eds big brother, a healer, sort of like Rafiki.**

 **Hasina- Maumbu's mate**

 **By the way, whenever you see : ()()()()()()(()(())(), it means the point of view is changing. Also, I did some research and it turns out that even if a person is totally blind, they will still be able to see random lights and colors, those lights and colors just don't correspond to what is actually in front of them. But for the purpose of this story, total blindness will mean that all the person will be able to see is darkness. No lights or colors, just a black void. To clear things up, 'Macho' means 'vigilant' in swahili. And the name is pronounced 'maco' don't pronounce the ch sound.**

 **Anyways, on with the fanfic**!

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 **Banzai POV**

Banzai, Macho, and Fahama sat alone in an unused den. It had been a week since since Shenzi had appointed them as senior officers, and so far, things had been going well. The lioness Kiara had given them both an antelope and a gazelle yesterday, but for the life of him, he couldn't tell the two species apart. They both tasted the same, they both had horns, and they both had hooves. That was all that really mattered. Especially the taste. That was important.

What was vexing the three of them was that the rain hadn't let up all week. It was starting to pile up, with the deepest valleys of the Graveyard being flooded. All of their cave entrances were on higher ground, so even if the rain continued for yet another month, they weren't threatened by it. What was worrying, however, was the size of the river. By this point, it had swelled up to nearly the size of a lake, all along it's length. Normally a lion or hyena could wade across it, but it was much too deep right now. Kiara probably wouldn't be able to come with more food again until the river went down, and that might not be for a while yet.

"Well! I am open to suggestions!" Said Banzai, starting the meeting.

"Course you are. Cause you got no ideas yourself." Replied Fahama.

"Well, I don't hear you with ideas either." Retorted Banzai.

"There's no need to fight comrades, our situation is not that dire yet." Interjected Macho.

"And why is that? Without our helper lioness bringing in food, we're right back to where we started. Starving." Said Banzai.

"But we haven't all starved yet have we? We survived three years on our own hunters, I think we can can continue to rely on them until the river levels go back down."

"The river poses no threat to us, but we will need it to go down if we want some more free food." Said Fahama.

"Well, that's settled. We just will order extra hunts. Macho, I believe that's your job." Said Banzai.

"Indeed it is. Is there anything else left to discuss, now that we are all here?"

"Actually, yeah, there is. Maumbu has ran out of the herb that he uses to cure headaches. He asked me if we could retrieve some from the river bank next chance we got." Replied Fahama.

"How about right now? You and Banzai will go and get what our healer needs, and I will go and organize the hunts."

"Good idea Macho. Okay then Banzai, you ready to go hunting for a plant?"

"Well, I got nothing else to do. Come on Fahama, we'll get it quickly before we get soaked in the rain."

"Agreed." Said Fahama. Banzai and Fahama left their little alcove to go to the surface, while Macho left for the living dens. It was always dark in these caves, but a hyena's night vision was rather well developed. As they went through the tunnels, they sometimes encountered random stalagmites, with water dripping down them. Eventually, they reached a cave mouth, and stepped outside.

"Hey look, it stopped raining!" Shouted Banzai. Indeed, as he exited the cave, he saw the clouds had cleared up, and the sun bore down on them.

"That took long enough." Added Fahama.

"Yeah, it's been raining all week! At least it's done. It was rather annoying to have to hunt with lower visibility."

"Well, that makes our job easier too! Now we don't have to worry about getting soaked whenever we step outside."

"To the river then. Let's find ourselves that plant and get back to the dens."

Banzai and Fahama ran through the multitudes of puddles on their way to the western border. The rain still left behind several ravines and valleys in a flooded state. But those were easy enough to avoid. As the sun came out, and a cooling breeze blew through the Graveyard, Banzai couldn't help but be in a good mood. It felt as if it was a new day. Although, it technically was, since it was still morning.

As they crossed yet another hill covered in the bones of eaten animals, they came into a view of the river. Banzai and Fahama stopped, taking in the impressive view. The river really had swelled, it was wider than Banzai had ever seen it before. Before, in the rain, he never had gotten a good look. But now he saw the extent of how much the rain had added to the body of water.

"That's a rather big river." Commented Fahama.

"No kidding. Do you think the plant Maumbu wanted is drowned at this point?" Replied Banzai.

"It can't hurt to check. Maumbu does need it for headaches. I know I would want to get rid of a headache as soon as possible."

"Down we go!" Shouted Banzai, as he jumped and slid down the hillside. Some of the bones provided excellent runaways. When he made it to the bottom, he found himself staring at the ridge that officially marked the boundaries of the Graveyard. Fahama slid down next to him, abruptly stopping. Fahama looked at Banzai, then continued on her way.

"Come on then!" Said Fahama, as she ran up to the ridge. She jumped onto the slope, digging her claws into the dirt, and began her climb up. Banzai, shaken out of his reverie, gave a start and followed her onto the top of the ridge.

"Well, the riverbank sure is closer, isn't it?" Commented Banzai, when he reached the top.

"A bit of an understatement Banzai." Replied Fahama, who was currently dipping her paws into the water, checking the depth. This side of the river had swelled so much that it's edge came almost up to the edge of the ridge.

"Thank goodness it stopped raining huh? If the river grew any more, it would have flooded into the Graveyard!"

"Indeed. Good thing we don't have to worry about that. It would have been a disaster. Now, I'll go this way, and you go down that way. If you find Maumbu's plant, bring it back here, and come get the other."

"Sounds good to me." Said Banzai, as he turned around and began to walk along the riverbank. "Watch out for any lions!" He called back. Fahama yelled something in reply, but by now, he was already too far away to hear what was said. He shrugged, and continued on his way.

The river bank sloshed water along Banzai's path. It felt more like He was walking next to a lake than a river. He hoped the water would drain away soon.

"Where is that darned plant?"' Muttered Banzai as he scanned the ground for any sign of the herb.

The plant in question was probably a short, stubby plant, with fuzzy leaves. Banzai knew exactly what the leaves looked like. He used to visit Maumbu for them, every time Shenzi smacked him over the head for doing something stupid. Which happened rather often.

Behind him, Banzai suddenly heard a sputtering laugh break the silence. He turned around to meet his childhood friend, Ed.

"Hey Ed! What's up?" Banzai asked, wondering what Ed was doing out here. In reply, Ed started to giggle, and sputtered out the answer. For whatever reason, only Banzai and Maumbu ever understood what he said. Maumbu was Ed's brother, so that was understandable, but Banzai didn't meet Ed until late puphood.

"Actually Ed, I'm looking for the plant that cures headaches. Maumbu needs more." Replied Banzai.

Ed sputtered again.

"Yes I know what it looks like! Ya think I came all the way out here without knowing what I'm looking for?"

Ed have another series of laughs and snorts, then pointed at an area behind Banzai.

"Yes, I already checked that area for it." Said Banzai, rolling his eyes.

Then, Ed grinned, and with another snort, he bounded over to where he had previously gestured. Banzai watched with eyes half closed of boredom. Then, Ed leaned down, and grabbed a bunch of flowers in his mouth. He turned around, and trotted back to Banzai with the yellow flowers. He set them down in front of Banzai and gave another giggle.

"I don't think that's the plant I'm looking for Ed." Replied Banzai, as he eyed the flowers.

Ed snorted.

"Well, actually, these leaves are fuzzy, maybe they are the ones Maumbu needs." Banzai picked up one of the leaves and put it in his mouth. Immediately, he spat it back out in disgust.

"Blaugh! Yeah, it tastes just the same as what Maumbu gave me. I don't know how you can stand putting it in your mouth though." Said Banzai, as he gargled river water, trying to get the taste out. Ed simply gave a small laugh, then scooped the flowers back into his mouth. Once Banzai was done, he set off back the other direction to retrieve Fahama. Ed followed close behind.

After some minutes of silence, absent Ed's giggles of course, Banzai saw Fahama sitting next to the river.

"Hey! Fahama! I got the herbs we needed!" Called Banzai, as he trotted up to Fahama. She turned her head, and stood up to receive him.

"You got that plant?" She asked.

"Yeah, it was just a bit farther down that way. You want to get back to Maumbu then?" Said Banzai, who was eager to get his task over with.

"Yeah, sure. If we got what we needed, we can go back. Just one question though." Said Fahama, who turned back to the river.

"What is it?" Replied Banzai, curious to find out what the question was.

"Do you… Think the river level has gone up since we got here?" Said Fahama, who pointed at the river's edge.

"The river? No. I think it's stayed the same. The rain stopped! There's nothing to cause it to swell anymore." Responded Banzai, quite confidently.

"I guess so. It's just that… I don't know, somehow I think it's just a bit closer than when we first looked at it."

"Probably your imagination. Come on Fahama! I want to return to the dens!" Banzai turned about, and began to walk to the ridge. "You too Ed!" He called back. Banzai slid down the slope, and looked behind him to see Ed, just in time before he smashed into him. Banzai sprawled onto the ground, and he spat out the dust in his mouth.

"Hey! Watch it Ed! Geez, why is it always me that people run into! Yeah, first Shenzi pushed me into a methane vent, then it was thorn bushes, then it was that waterfall.. The list doesn't end." Banzai continued to grumble to himself as he dusted himself off.

"Now you're the one who isn't coming Banzai! Hurry up!" Called Fahama, who was standing further down the hill.

"I'm working on it!" He retorted, as he ran to catch up.

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 **Kovu's POV**

Kovu and Kiara were on another patrol, this time on the eastern border, when the rain stopped. It had been raining all week, and Kovu was really getting tired of having to hunt and patrol while being drenched. So when it finally stopped, Kovu felt like celebrating.

"Yes! The rain has stopped!" Yelled Kovu, as he bounced up and down in joy. Kiara, who was next to him, started to smile.

"It did take a while, didn't it?" She said, grinning at Kovu.

"Ahhhh….. Yes, it did." Replied Kovu, as he stood up and gazed around him.

"So Kovu, you going to stand there forever, or are you and I going to finish our patrol?" Said Kiara, as she walked by Kovu.

"Oh yeah… Right." Said Kovu, who bounded after Kiara to catch up to her.

"Well, the rain may have stopped, but my paws still get wet!" Complained Kiara, as she shook of her left foreleg of water.

"That can't be helped Kiara." Said Kovu, as he rubbed up against her.

"Perhaps not, but I bet some animals don't have to deal with this." Said Kiara, as she shook her right foreleg.

"Yeah, like birds!" Responded Kovu, who grinned and looked at the trees. He and Kiara proceeded to walk through the the wet savannah. Earlier that day, He and Kiara had tried to go hunting for the hyenas, but Simba had caught them trying to sneak out, and had set them on patrol instead. So far, Kovu didn't think Simba suspected a thing, but they would have to be more careful about when they hunted from now on.

He and Kiara had resolved to do the hunting later, while on this very patrol. That way, Simba wouldn't ever know where exactly they had been, other than where he told them to be. So, as they strolled through the grass, Kovu kept his eyes out for any packs of animals they could snare.

The clouds continued to fade away, and the sun came out. The blue sky opened up, and a light zephyr blew through Kovu's mane. It was a rather beautiful day, especially since the trees and rocks glistened from the water.

"Hey Kovu, look over there. A herd of zebras!" Said Kiara, as she gestured toward the striped animals of prey.

"Yeah, zebras will do just fine." Said Kovu. Zebras weren't a challenge to hunt, if you knew how to sneak and to pounce.

"Come on Kovu, you want to catch two zebras, or just one?" Asked Kiara.

"How about just one, except we'll race for it." Suggested Kovu, with a playful gleam in his eye.

"What do you mean?" Asked Kiara.

"We both chose one zebra, and the first one to catch their own zebra will win." Responded Kovu.

"Okay then slowpoke, your on!" Replied Kiara. Kovu watched kiara trot off. He smirked, then turned around and ran towards the zebra herd. As he got closer, he slowed down, and crouched low in the grass. He saw ahead of him a young colt, who was unstable on his legs. That would be a perfect one to take down.

He put on paw in front of the other, as he advanced towards his target. The oblivious prey munched happily on the grass, soaking in his food. Now that Kovu thought about it, every time he ate an animal, he was also eating what that animal ate. So he ate grass too he supposed.

Gross.

Suddenly, all the zebras ears perked up. Over on the other side of the herd, he saw some movement. Kiara jumped up in an attempt to snare an adult zebra. She missed her pounce however, and the herd bolted. Right in Kovu's direction!

Kovu crouched even lower, and got out of the way of the stampeding zebras. As they ran around him, he jumped up, and slit the throat of one of the panicking animals. It stumbled for a bit, until it fell over and hit the ground with mundane finality. Kovu walked over to his prize.

"Okay okay, I guess you win. I was never much good at pouncing." Said Kiara, as she walked up to Kovu.

"The best part was, I have you to thank for the easy kill!" Responded Kovu, grinning at Kiara.

"Well, I guess I'm more of a teamwork person." Replied Kiara, acting aloof.

"Well, I guess we better haul this beast over to the hyenas. I'm sure they will want it, we didn't get them anything yesterday." Said Kovu, as he grabbed the Zebra with his claws. Kiara grabbed it too, and they slung the meat over their backs, carrying it together. It was much easier than dragging it, they were more mobile this way.

As they advanced across the savannah, they went straight for the Graveyard. Kovu didn't want Simba to think they were being lazy on their patrols, so he wanted to get this done quickly.

Eventually, they reached the hill that overlooked the western border. Up ahead, the size of the river astonished Kovu.

"Holy wildebeest! That river certainly has swelled from all that rain!" Exclaimed Kovu.

"No kidding. It's almost quadrupled in width. Looks a bit more like a lake at this point." Said Kiara, as she gazed at the body of water.

"How are we supposed to get across? Normally, we could just wade across, but that looks way too deep for anything other than swimming."

"Swimming will be pretty hard while carrying a dead zebra."

"Indeed. Well, I guess we have to figure it out somehow."

"Wait a minute, look over there, at the other side of the river, what is that?" Said Kiara, as she gestured at an area across the swirling watercourse.

"Where is it?" Asked Kovu. He squinted, as his gaze swept over the landscape. Then he spotted what Kiara was pointing at.

"Yeah I see it, and,, oh wait… That's bad." Said Kovu, suddenly realizing what he was looking at.

"That's really bad."

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 **Macho's POV**

Macho was running as fast as he could, as fast as he could to find Matriarch Shenzi. He had to tell her what he had just seen! She had to know, she had know quickly!

As he sprinted over the hills of bones toward the Matriarch's private den, he spotted Shenzi and Banzai making their way toward the living dens, where the rest of the hyenas lived, ate, and slept. He ran over to her, panting from exhaustion. Banzai and Shenzi heard him arrive, and they turned toward him.

"Shenzi! Banzai! Listen, there's a problem!" He yelled. Banzai frowned, and so did Shenzi, as they waited for his next sentence.

"What is it Macho? Asked Shenzi, impatient to hear the news.

"Listen! The ridge, the one that's holding back the river, it's, It's…." Macho was suddenly struggling to articulate what he had to say.

"Yeah? What about it?" Said Banzai, also impatient.

"The ridge, the one that holds back the river.,,,, It's collapsing! And the waters flooding in!"

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 **Yeehaw! Cliffhanger! And yes, the river is going to flood the Graveyard. Just wait and see how that plays out in the next chapter. I'll try to make it a long one. Anyway, if you liked it, leave a review. It's a fanfiction crime to be following a story and not leave reviews you know. So anyways, cya in the next chapter! Constructive criticism accepted. No flaming**!


	13. Swimming and Drowning

**I got this idea from a story called 'A Light for everyone' by Alex Draco. The beginning of this story is similar to the beginning of his. However, my story goes in a bit of a different direction. But it was inspired by that story! You should go check it out, it's very well written in my opinion. One more thing. I am using some of Tearthgrrl OC's, just because they really add to the story. Tearthgrrl hasn't added anything to her profile for three years now, so I figured it would be okay to use some of her OC's. But credit where it's due!**

 **Tearthgrrl OC's:**

 **Maumbu- Ed's big brother, a healer, sort of like Rafiki.**

 **Hasina- Maumbu's mate**

 **By the way, whenever you see : ()()()()()()(()(())(), it means the point of view is changing. Also, I did some research and it turns out that even if a person is totally blind, they will still be able to see random lights and colors, those lights and colors just don't correspond to what is actually in front of them. But for the purpose of this story, total blindness will mean that all the person will be able to see is darkness. No lights or colors, just a black void. To clear things up, 'Macho' means 'vigilant' in swahili. And the name is pronounced 'maco' don't pronounce the ch sound.**

 **Anyways, on with the fanfic**!

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 **Banzai's POV**

What did Macho just say? Thought Banzai.

"The river! The river, It's flooding in!" Repeated Macho.

Oh. That's what he had said. Suddenly, sinking in _exactly what that statement meant_ , Banzai's eye's grew wide. Immediately, Banzai ran past Macho and up a hill. Behind him, Shenzi was thinking similarly.

"Banzai! Get to a high spot! Tell me how far the water is!" Yelled Shenzi, her voice urgent. Banzai was already on the crest of a ribcage, gazing in the river's direction. And what he saw terrified him.

The river really was flooding in! Already, he heard of in the distance the sound of water crashing against rocks! The inherent problem here was that the river the water was coming from was actually on high ground, relative to the graveyard. It had only been that ridge that had kept it in place, but the rains had caused it to collapse from weight. So now, the water would only continue to advance further and further into the Graveyard, going downhill.

"The water! Its coming this way! The dens, the ravines, the caves… They're all going to fill up!" He shouted back to Shenzi, starting to panic. Shenzi however, showed no such loss of composure. She turned to Macho, and issued a quick order.

"Macho! Make haste to the caves, get everyone out of there, of we don't get on high ground soon, we'll all drown." At her words, Macho took off running, towards the living dens. Hopefully he would make it in time to warn everyone.

"And you! Banzai! Come here." Added Shenzi. Banzai ran back down through the bones, stopping in front of her.

"Yes?" He quickly asked.

"Where is the nearest hill that might withstand the flood?" She asked.

"Oh, well. Uhhh….." Banzai looked around, hoping to find a spot near enough for them to get to in time. "There! That hill looks tall enough!" He said.

"Then get us there!" She said. Banzai took her paw, and put it over his shoulder. They would be able to go faster this way, he reasoned, as they set off in a dash to reach the hilltop. As they stumbled along, crushing old bones underfoot, Banzai heard the sound of water crashing and splashing come into range. They had to hurry!

"Quickly!" He muttered. Shenzi was doing her best, but since she could she where she was going, she was slowing them down by stumbling on rocks and bones.

"I'm working on it." She replied scathily. They stumbled on, making their way for the knoll.

"Just up this hill, we're almost there." Said Banzai. They had arrived at the foot of the hill, all they had to do now was get to the top. Behind them, the water grew louder. They scampered up, as fast as they could. Banzai pushed bones and small rocks aside, desperate to reach their destination. When they finally pulled themselves onto the small mesa, huffing and puffing from exhaustion, Banzai caught his breath and turned around to view the water.

The river's flood was currently pouring into a ravine, stopping its advance. But the ravine was filling up, and already water was coming out from the sides. Then, another surge from the river came through, and the water splashed over the ravine. That made Banzai somewhat worried. To fill a ravine that quickly meant that a lot of water was coming their way. Hopefully their hilltop was tall enough.

"Banzai! How far is the flood!" Asked Shenzi, her voice taut with anxiety.

"It's bad…. From what I can tell, it's already reached the hill with the cave entrances. If Macho didn't get everyone out in time, our hyenas are in trouble." Replied Banzai, as he stared out at the rush of white foam and blue liquid. The waves swept aside even the giant elephant skulls, plowing through rocks and anything else in it's way.

However, closer to them, the water that had filled the ravine had just sloshed over the hill just opposite them. And it was still coming. The sound of the crashing water grew even louder.

"Brace yourself Shenzi, here it comes!" Yelled Banzai, as he grabbed Shenzi by the shoulder and pulled her back.

"How close is it? She asked. But Banzai didn't answer. Below them, the water rushed up the hill, driven by velocity and the thousands of gallons behind it. Banzai's eyes widened, as the roar of the wave threatened to deafen him. The wave came up right over the knoll, rising ten feet above Banzai and Shenzi.

And Banzai felt fear, real fear that he was going to die, that they were going to be washed away by this flood and be smashed against the rocks. Time seemed to slow down, and so did Banzai's reactions. He felt like he was moving sluggishly, as the wave came ever closer.

The last thing Banzai remembered thinking before the wave hit was that was that if he survived, Shenzi would kill him for not choosing a taller hill.

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 **Kiara's POV**

Kiara ran down the hill, with Kovu close behind. Up ahead, she saw the river pushing through the ridge that bordered the Graveyard. Already, she saw the flood rolling right over hills and through the mass of bones and rocks without slowing. At that rate, the Graveyard would be flooded in a few minutes!

She and Kovu skidded to a halt at the edge of the river. She looked around quickly, trying to see if there was anything she could use to cross. Unfortunately, the river, despite flooding into the Graveyard, was still a swirling mass of liquid. There were no logs or rocks they could hop across.

"We'll have to swim across!" She told Kovu, turning toward him.

"Wait, why do we have to cross it? We could drown in that!" Replied Kovu, clearly hesitant.

"Kovu, the hyenas are going to drown of we don't help! We have to try to rescue as many as we can!" Said Kiara, in a hurry to get into the river.

"But, but, why do we have to rescue hyenas?"

"Kovu, follow me, or don't. Your choice." Kiara said, her voice hard. With that, she turned around, and jumped into the river. Brrr, it was cold! She kicked with her paws, and tried to paddle, doing her best to stay above the water. Behind her, she heard a splash, the sound of Kovu jumping in. At least he had the guts to jump.

The water quickly swept her in the direction of the Graveyard. She plunged over the ridge, and into the flooded areas. She was pushed under, but forced her way back up, gasping for air. Eventually, the water thinned out, no longer a rapids. It felt like she was in a normal river, but all the water that continued to head further into the Graveyard frightened her. There would be whole lakes here after all was said and done!

Kicking with her paws, she pushed herself onto a rock, which poked over the liquid. It wasn't a very large rock, but enough for Kiara to stand on. Kovu came from behind, grasping onto Kiara's little boulder.

"Okay Kiara, you got me into this, now what do we do?" He asked, as he struggled to hold on to the rock.

"Just head further into the Graveyard, and try to save any floundering hyenas you may come across. Don't let them drown!" Then, Kiara jumped back off her rock and into the floodwaters. She did her best to swim in a certain direction, but for the most part she went with the current.

After she swam right over what was left of a deep ravine, she was swept around a few small hills, that had been washed clean of whatever had been on top by the frontal waves. Then, in front of her, she saw a gray furred body, lying limp across some rocks that poked up from the water. A hyena!

She tried to swim for it, but the current pushed against her. She kicked with her back legs, and paddled with her forelegs. Eventually, she began to make headway for the unconscious hyena. Thankfully, the current wasn't too strong this far back in the flood, but she was still an inexperienced swimmer. She was glad for what Simba had taught her, for without it, she might have drowned by now.

Inch by inch, she forced her way toward the motionless hyena. Sticks and other flotsam swirled around her, interrupting her swim. She wished she had something to grab onto, so she could simply drag her way there. But the water just kept coming!

Eventually, she finally made it to the rock on which the hyena was lying on. She seized the rock with her claws, and hauled herself onto it. Shivering, she shook herself off of the freezing water. Then she turned her attention to the hyena.

It was lying on its back and its belly was scratched up. Kiara examined the head, and it was bleeding on top of its skull. Looking at the face, Kiara realized she recognized this hyena, it was one of the ones that commonly accompanied Shenzi. Its name was banza, or bonsa, or something like that. She would ask it later, first, she had to get it some help. It probably had a concussion, or worse.

Kiara knew from Shenzi that the hyenas had a healer, and if Kiara got him, he could help this hyena. But she didn't know where that healer was. For all she knew, he had drowned in the flood. The best she could do for it right now was to get it on dry land, to a place where it could heal. That ruled out the Graveyard, she would instead take it back to the Pridelands, just on the other side of the river.

Kiara scooped the hyena onto her back, just like she had done to Shenzi when she had rescued her. She braced herself for the return to the current. It certainly wouldn't be easy with the extra load. There had to be another way for her to get back!

Looking around, Kiara saw that off to her right, there were the remains of a flooded cliff face, which were also poking above the water. If she made it there, she might be able to walk at least part of the way back.

Kiara slowly entered the rainwater, careful not to drop her patient. She felt the current start to pull at her again, and she kicked with all her might, doing her best to stay above the floodwaters. The hyena started to slide off her back, and Kiara had to constantly re-adjust to keep it there.

After many minutes of struggling and slow progress, Kiara made it to the cliff face. She swam alongside it until she found a place where she could get up on top. Once she climbed up, she collapsed from exhaustion. Her muscles burned from the swim, since she had never, ever used them so much before. She would probably be sore for a few more days to come. She looked at the hyena, who was still unconscious, lying next to her. How was she supposed to get it back to the Pridelands! She had no energy left, and certainly not enough to haul a whole hyena back the way she came.

As she sat there, letting herself rejuvenate, she heard voices coming from somewhere ahead of her. She looked up, and saw a group of three hyenas approaching her over the rocks. Barely able to stand up, she turned to face the oncoming trio.

"Hey there lion! We mean you no harm." Said the hyena in the front, as he warily approached Kiara.

"I don't mean harm to you either." Responded Kiara, careful not to accidentally provoke one of them. "Although this one here nearly drowned." Added Kiara, as she stepped aside to show the hyena she had rescued. The hyenas gasped in realization, and the lead hyena stepped forward to examine him.

"Banzai? Banzai, wake up." Said the hyena, as he poked his unconscious comrade. Another hyena approached Kiara, with a distrustful look on its face.

"Did you…. rescue him?" Asked the hyena with his eyes narrowed suspiciously.

"Yeah, I did. I found him over on that rock over there, lying half dead. I swam over here with him, hoping to get him someplace where he could get help. You hyenas do have a healer, right?" Kiara asked, wanting to know.

"Yeah, Maumbu is the best healer there is, he'll fix up Banzai in a snap." The hyenas replied.

"His name is Banzai?" Asked Kiara, gesturing at the unconscious hyena.

"Yeah, he's Shenzi's second in command. At least we have him, we haven't found the Matriarch yet." Said the hyena, with a guarded expression.

"You haven't found Shenzi? She's missing?" Said Kiara. If Shenzi was missing, that was bad. Kiara hoped she was alright, wherever she was.

"For now." Replied the hyena. By then, the hyena that was inspecting Banzai had scooped him onto his back, with another hyena helping him. As they walked by, the gave the hyena Kiara was talking to a nod, and all three of them began to walk away over the rocks. Kiara followed a few feet behind, careful not to get too close. They might take offense, lions and hyenas had never really trusted each other, and these three were no exceptions.

The rocks they walked over were all wet, and a bit slippery, but it was better than swimming. Water swished around them, on its way further into the Graveyard. The narrow path they were using was perfect for traveling above the floodwaters, and in a few minutes, Kiara came into view of a small encampment of hyenas.

There weren't many of them, Kiara guessed about thirty at the most. Most of them stood in huddled groups, whispering to each other. A few others stood on the riverbank, gazing out at what was left of their home. They all were next to the river, right where the ridge originally had been broken through.

"Macho! Who have you found?" Came a voice from an approaching hyena.

"We found Banzai, lying unconscious on some rocks. That lioness claimed to have rescued him." Replied the hyena called Macho, gesturing at Kiara.

"I really did rescue him, he could have been washed away without me dragging him onto higher ground." Interjected Kiara.

"If that's true, thank you for saving him. However, we need to find more hyenas who may need help. We're still missing over twenty members, and for all we know, they could all be dead! So lioness, if you really did rescue Banzai, you wouldn't mind trying to rescue some more, by joining our search parties." Said Macho,

"I would be happy to help. It's not good for any animal to die, be it lion or hyena." Responded Kiara. The hyena's eyes widened momentarily in surprise. He probably wasn't used to lions offering help. Then, he gave a nod to three other hyenas, and told them to get back to searching.

"Don't come back unless you find someone, be it dead or alive. Now, if you four will excuse me, I'm going to get Banzai to Maumbu. He probably needs treatment." Said Macho. With that, Macho began to drag Banzai toward a group of other similarly wounded hyenas. That was probably where their healer was, thought Kiara.

The three hyenas she was going to accompany turned around and began to walk back into the flooded rocks. Kiara followed close behind, and the four of them proceeded to spread out, searching for a hyena that might need help.

Kiara wondered where Kovu was. Hopefully, he was doing as well as she was.

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 **Shenzi's POV- thirty minutes earlier**

Shenzi thrust her head above the water, gasping for air. She paddled with her paws, doing her best to keep from sinking. The current pushed her forward, wherever that was. Hard to tell where one was going when you couldn't see.

She spat out some water, and took another breath of air, retching out the unwanted liquids she accidentally swallowed. Gah! Blasted flood! One minute she was walking next to Banzai, the next, Macho had rushed in, yelling about how the water from the river was rushing into the Graveyard! And only a few minutes after that, she and Banzai had 'supposedly' made it on top of a safe hill. It seemed Banzai wasn't very good at choosing tall hills, she would have to whack him later for that.

Of course, she was now stuck in the newly made river, having been washed from the top of a hill by a wave. She had to get to dry ground! She thrust her paws out, kicking at the water, trying to fight the pull of the water. She figured if she went perpendicular to the current, she would eventually reach the edge. And once there, she could drag herself out and onto safety. What she would do after that, she would worry about once she got there.

Kicking and paddling her way forward, Shenzi made some headway in whatever direction she was facing. Or at least she thought she was. Being blind made it so hard to tell! Whatever the case, it did her no good to give up, so she kept kicking and paddling. Suddenly, she felt a sudden drop in the river. She had started to go downhill, as if this flood had entered a rapids.

Her paws scraped the rocks on the bottom of the river. Was it thinning out? Maybe the flood had lost it's momentum! Then, she felt herself slow down, but the river's depth didn't change. The current was now noticeably slower, as if crowding around a chokepoint…

Suddenly, Shenzi felt the current increase its speed again, and she was swept forward along with the water. The sound of the river turned into more of an echo, and Shenzi felt it accelerate. Rather abruptly, she splashed into a pool, and submerged again. Fortunately, Shenzi quickly resurfaced, spitting out the water she swallowed.

"Bleh. I always thought that water was the best thing to drink. Now, I think I've had enough." muttered Shenzi to herself. The noise of more water splashing in echoed around her. For it to echo like that, Shenzi figured she had to be in an enclosed space, with walls to provide the echo.

"Am I in a cave?" She said. Saying things out loud sometimes helped her think.

"Well, at least the water's stopped moving." Shenzi swam around the pool, trying to find the edge. Wherever she was, the water was draining into here, and she was swept in with it. She felt the water level rising slowly, added to by the river's input.

Then, a horrible thought came to Shenzi. What if she was in a cave? When the cave filled up, she would drown! Although, if she was in a ravine, the water would simply push her up and out.

Shenzi dearly hoped she was in a ravine, not a cave.

No matter where she was, she still had to find the edge. Paddling forward, Shenzi kept her left foreleg stretched out, so that when she found the edge, she wouldn't bump into it face first. As she swam further, she suddenly felt something touch her ears. Immediately, Shenzi ducked her down, a reflex born on instinct. Then, she tentatively reached up with her right foreleg, and to her horror, felt it come into contact with stone.

So she _was_ in a cave! Oh no, she was going to drown! Panicking slightly, Shenzi reached back up and felt the ceiling again. It felt as if the cave ceiling got higher as she traced it to her left. Quickly, with one paw on the ceiling, which was no easy task, Shenzi swam to get to a spot with more space. As she swam, the water continued to get higher, but she stayed ahead of the rising liquid by paddling towards what was presumably the middle of the cave.

Even so, she would run out of room eventually. She was just delaying the inevitable. That was fine by Shenzi though, another minute living was another minute spent not dying. Then, Shenzi felt the roof start to arch back down. She gulped. That was what she was afraid of.

There was no more room for her to go anywhere. She was as high as the ceiling would go. Unfortunately, the water just kept on coming. Shenzi kept her head above the fluids, inhaling perhaps the last air she would ever breath. Oh no! Why did it all have to end like this? Trapped in a cave that was filling up with water? Shenzi had always hoped for a more heroic death, one where she died while in defense of her clanmates.

She hoped they all would be able to survive without her. Hopefully, Banzai and Macho would chose a new Matriarch that had the ability to lead and to make decisions correctly. Banzai! That was another thing. She never really was sure how she felt about Banzai. She had her suspicions about how he felt about her, but she never had decided for herself. Now, she never would get to chose if she would get to know Banzai better in that special way.

As the water rose up to her neck, Shenzi pressed her head against the roof. This was it, she figured. She knew lions went someplace when they died, but the hyenas never were part of that story. Hyenas never really got around to that sort of thing, they were too busy starving.

Actually, that wasn't entirely true. Shenzi remembered that when she was still a pup, her mother once told her a story about the place good hyenas got to go to. If a hyena stayed loyal to their clan, when they died, they joined the first Matriarch, the first hyena who ever existed. They would live under the rule of the first Matriarch, able to hunt in places where the herds never moved on, and drought never came.

Shenzi wished with all her might that that story was true.

As the water came above her mouth, she took one last gulp of air, and then held on to it as long as she could. As her lungs began to burn, she felt herself start to pass out. Right before she did however, she felt two forelegs grab onto her with their claws, and pull her down. Then, she lost consciousness, as she felt herself get dragged through the water.

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 **Welp, That's another chapter up! I feel so proud of myself right now. Anyhow, it seems Banzai got a concussion, and Shenzi might drown! Although this one isn't really supposed to end on a cliffhanger. I think it's obvious what's going to happen. So then, leave a review of you liked it! It's a fanfiction crime to be following a story but not leave reviews you know. And if you think you spotted some mistakes in the writing, tell me where I messed up! I'm talking more about sentence structure blunders, and not petty grammar and spelling mistakes, but those work too. Remember, I want to improve my writing, and the best way to do it is by correcting things like run-on sentences! So leave a review if you liked it. Constructive criticism accepted. No Flaming**!


	14. Reunion and council

**I got this idea from a story called 'A Light for everyone' by Alex Draco. The beginning of this story is similar to the beginning of his. However, my story goes in a bit of a different direction. But it was inspired by that story! You should go check it out, it's very well written in my opinion. One more thing. I am using some of Tearthgrrl OC's, just because they really add to the story. Tearthgrrl hasn't added anything to her profile for three years now, so I figured it would be okay to use some of her OC's. But credit where it's due!**

 **Tearthgrrl OC's:**

 **Maumbu- Ed's big brother, a healer, sort of like Rafiki.**

 **Hasina- Maumbu's mate**

 **By the way, whenever you see : ()()()()()()(()(())(), it means the point of view is changing. Also, I did some research and it turns out that even if a person is totally blind, they will still be able to see random lights and colors, those lights and colors just don't correspond to what is actually in front of them. But for the purpose of this story, total blindness will mean that all the person will be able to see is darkness. No lights or colors, just a black void. To clear things up, 'Macho' means 'vigilant' in swahili. And the name is pronounced 'maco' don't pronounce the ch sound.**

 **Anyways, on with the fanfic**!

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 **Kovu's POV**

Kovu grabbed the shore and hauled himself onto dry land, taking the drowned hyena with him. He'd never held his breath for that long before, it was unnatural! Gasping and wheezing, Kovu greedily inhaled the fresh clean air. How long had he been underwater? Was it two minutes? Three? Either way, Kovu never wanted to go swimming ever again.

After he shook himself off, he turned his attention back to the hyena. It was clearly a female, and had been trapped inside a cave that had been filling up with water. Luckily for it, Kovu had seen it enter the cave in the river's current, floundering in the water. He had followed it in, and dragged it's unconscious body back down and out.

Kovu inspected the female hyena, trying to see if it was still breathing. To his surprise, he saw the hyena's chest rise and fall, ever so slightly. It was alive, but barely. What did you do with an animal that had inhaled water?

If a creature had inhaled water, Kovu reasoned water was probably in its lungs. But how to get it out? Maybe if he pushed on the lungs, the water would exit out the throat. Kovu turned the hyena on its back, and hesitantly took his right paw and placed it on the center of the chest. Then, he pushed down with all his might.

The hyena gave a cough, and spat out some of the liquid. Kovu pushed again, and more water came out of its mouth. After a few more tries, a very large amount of water was coughed up. Kovu sat back down, now confident it was all out. All that could be done now was wait.

As the minutes trickled by, the water that perforated Kovu's mane began to dry out. Good thing too, manes took forever to dry, they were thick and held dampness well. As Kovu thought about mane upkeep, the hyena gave another cough and rolled over. Kovu got up, and walked over to the hyena, who was in the process of retching out more liquid.

"Hey, are you okay?" Kovu asked. The hyena, instead of answering, clutched its stomach and continued to throw up the excess water. When it had finished, it wiped its mouth and turned towards Kovu.

"Who are you?" It asked.

"I'm Kovu, the lion who rescued you. You nearly drowned in that cave, but I dragged you out here." Responded Kovu, wanting to make clear that he was not a threat to the hyena.

"You're Kovu? Kiara's mate?" Asked the hyena, who had turned back around and was staring at the river as it rushed by.

"Yeah. That's me." Kovu replied. Then he added, "If you don't mind me asking, how did you end up in the cave? Why didn't you just swim out, like I did?". At his question, the hyena's expression soured.

"Why didn't I just swim out? For starters, I couldn't see the exits. And If I can't see the exits, I can't find them either. You see, I'm blind. Which makes these sorts of situations infinitely harder." Said the hyena, clearly upset about her disability, since she was scowling as she said it.

"Oh. Your name isn't Shenzi, by any chance, is it?" Said Kovu. Was this the hyena Kiara had rescued a few days ago?

"Yeah, it's Shenzi. The one you clawed just for taking a nap." Shenzi replied scathily.

"Sorry bout that." Said Kovu, unsure about how else he could respond.

"Yeah, I'm sure you are." Murmured Shenzi. They sat in silence for a few seconds, listening to the water rush by.

"Well, no use in standing around here forever." Said Shenzi abruptly, as she turned back in Kovu's direction. "You help me find the other hyenas. The other members of my clan. If there's anyone left that is…." Her voice cracked suddenly, she was clearly worried about what had happened to her friends.

"Right then." Kovu got up and walked over to Shenzi. "So, how does this work, are you supposed to lean on me, or something like that?"

"No. Just start whistling, and I'll follow the sound." Said Shenzi.

"Okay….. I don't know how to whistle though."

"Humming works too. Just create a constant sound." Said Shenzi, clearly impatient. Kovu started to hum, and set off back in the direction of the Pridelands. He looked behind him, and Shenzi was following him.

Despite slipping quite a few times, the hyena didn't do a very bad job of traversing the rocks. She collected some bruises on her neck and skull from falling, but nothing major. Every time she fell, she got back up as quickly as she could, and demanded that Kovu move faster.

As they walked over the black rocks, Kovu saw that the water had begun to calm. There was still a river flowing past them, but it had slowed down significantly, and was pooling. Pretty soon, the Elephant Graveyard would become one big series of lakes. The hyena's home was certainly gone, only fish could ever hope to live here anymore.

Then, ahead of him, he saw Kiara and three other hyenas running toward them, with looks of concern on their faces.

"Kovu! There you are!" Shouted Kiara, as she drew closer.

"Hey Kiara! Where were you all this time?" Asked Kovu, smiling.

"I was helping the hyenas search for more flood survivors. Although I see you've found one." Replied Kiara, gesturing at Shenzi.

"Matriarch Shenzi! You're all right!" Interjected another hyena, as she approached her Matriarch.

"Hi Fahama. Yeah, I'm all right. Sopping wet perhaps, but nothing harmful." Replied Shenzi, as she stared in Fahama's direction.

"What happened Shenzi?" Asked Fahama, as Kovu and Kiara looked on.

"Well, me and Banzai heard from Macho that the river was flooding in, so we went to a hilltop, in hopes of avoiding the waters. Unfortunately, the hill wasn't tall enough. A wave washed over us, and me and Banzai were swept off it. I was rescued from drowning by Kovu over here… Kovu, say something." Ordered Shenzi.

"Oh, uh, like what?" Asked Kovu.

"That works. I was rescued by Kovu over there." Shenzi gestured in Kovu's direction. It seemed Shenzi just had to affirm where Kovu was so she could point to him.

"Anyways, Fahama, tell me, what happened to the rest of the clan, did everyone make it out?" Asked Shenzi, her voice thick with concern. Fahama's eyes fell, and she pawed at the ground, as if she was trying to think of how exactly she would word her next sentence.

"Well?" Repeated Shenzi.

"No, some of us were too far deep in the caves to be notified in time. We can only assume they were drowned when the water flooded the caves." Replied Fahama.

"How many Fahama? How many?"

Fahama gulped before answering. "Twenty two. We haven't found twenty two hyenas yet." Said Fahama. Silence paraded through their group as the exaxt number came out. Then, Shenzi broke up the quietness.

"And Banzai? Have you found Banzai yet?" Asked Shenzi. The way she asked the question made it clear she was asking something she wasn't sure she wanted answered.

"Actually, yes, we have him. He's unconscious, but as we all know, he's got a pretty thick skull. He'll probably be all right." Responded Fahama.

"Oh…. Well, I hope he wakes up soon! Cause I'm going to knock him back out for choosing such a small hill!" Said Shenzi. Kovu noticed how quickly she changed her behavior. First, she was worried about this Banzai, now, she wanted to hit him. Clearly, she had feelings she didn't want revealed. Oh well, none of his business.

"So, should we head back to camp then?" Suggested Kovu. He was eager to get his paws on some soft dirt, where there were no sharp rocks to cut through the pads on his paws.

"Yeah. There isn't much left to do here, we might as well go back." Said Fahama, as she surveyed the assembled animals.

"Alright then. Which way is the camp?" Asked Kovu, talking to Fahama.

"It's on the edge of the river, right on the border. It won't take long to get there." Replied Fahama.

"It had better not. I've had enough of tripping on these blasted stones." Muttered Shenzi.

"Follow me." Said Kiara, who had already turned around and was heading back toward the Pridelands. With that, they all five hyenas and two lions began to make their way back over the rocks. This time, Shenzi was leaning on Fahama, who guided her across the stones and away from holes and other hazards.

Eventually, the camp with the hyenas came into view. Kovu trotted up to it, following Kiara. When the hyena's Matriarch entered the camp, there were a lot of sighs of relief, and many hyenas were happy that their Matriarch made it through. They clearly depended on her for a lot of things.

Shenzi, still guided by Fahama, made her way to a rock that slightly overlooked the assembled hyenas. She climbed on top of it, and once correctly oriented, cleared her throat.

"Okay everyone! Listen up, cause I'm not repeating myself!" She shouted. Pausing for a few seconds, as if to make sure everyone was listening.

"Now, I realize that today, we lost quite a few hyenas. Good, loyal hyenas, who never deserved to die. This flood came without warning, and without remorse. Most of who we lost were our strongest, the ones capable of hunting and fighting. None of the hunting parties survived, for it was too late to warn them. But we still have our clan's future, the pups. Our pups are all still here, miraculously, the weakest of us all made it through. They can still grow up, and become the strongest, to replace those who were swept away mercilessly. But I never wanted them to have to live in the horrible conditions of the Graveyard. And now, this flood has given us no choice. The waters won't recede soon enough for us to move back in. Truthfully, our only option is to treaty with the lions. If we play our cards right, maybe, after all these years of exile, the hyenas will be able to live in the Pridelands again. Maybe, after all these years, we will be able to raise our pups without fear of starvation! In safety! The lions won't be easily persuaded, but we have here, among us, the king's daughter! We have a chance, a real chance now, and I intend to take it. We hyena's don't have to starve, we too can live where the herds are plentiful, alongside the lions, in peace. So take heart, remember those we have lost, and always, always strive for to build our pups a better tommorow."

Shenzi then elbowed Fahama, and then Fahama showed Shenzi back down off the rock. Shenzi was a good speaker, thought Kovu, she made even this horrible situation seem not as bad as it was. No wonder the clan was loyal to her.

Kiara came up behind him, tapping him on the shoulder. He turned around to greet her.

"What is it?" He asked.

"Come on Kovu, Shenzi wants us to meet with her, to discuss what we have to do next." She replied, as she retracted her paw.

"Oh. What does she want to do next then?" Said Kovu, as he gave a yawn.

"You heard her up there." Responded Kiara, as she flicked her ears at the rock Shenzi was just on. "Obviously, she's going to need us if she's going to secure the remaining hyenas safe harbor in the Pridelands."

"You know, I don't think Simba will ever agree to let hyenas back in." Said Kovu, as he and Kiara walked around the bulk of the hyenas.

"Why not? I know he hates them, but I bet I can convince him. I mean, now that I know hyenas aren't as bad as everyone thinks they are, I can probably give some good arguments." Suggested Kiara optimisticically.

"Well yeah, but sometimes he talked to me about experiences he had with them as a kid. Did you know that Shenzi, the Matriarch, tried to kill him two different times?" Said Kovu.

"Kovu, that was a long time ago. Shenzi isn't like that anymore. She's putting her clan first, and that means she needs to talk to Simba." Replied Kiara

"She's going to have a job of that. I hope Simba isn't in a bad mood." Responded Kovu jokingly.

He and Kiara walked up to Shenzi, who was standing next to a hyena that was rubbing his head.

"Ugh… I'm going to have a headache for months." Complained the hyena.

"That's just the thing about head wounds Banzai. Get used to it." Replied Shenzi.

"Well yeah… but, it still hurts! And Maumbu just shoved a gross tasting plant in my mouth and walked away! What kind of healer is he?" Said Banzai.

"Just shut up will you? I've got more important problems than your comfort." Said Shenzi sarcastically.

"I don't seem to recall you ever considering that a problem. Also, you got visitors." Added Banzai, when he saw the two lions standing next to them.

"Hi Shenzi! We're here, like you asked." Interjected Kiara.

"Oh yeah, well, since you're here, we might as well get the rest of us. Banzai, could you retrieve Fahama, Macho and Ed? I need us all for this decision." Said the Matriarch.

"Right away Shenzi….." Grumbled Banzai, as he trotted of to carry out his order. When he returned, three hyenas were following him. Kovu figured the female was Fahama, and the male was Macho. And Ed was probably the one with his tongue hanging out. The name just seemed to fit.

"Are we all here?" Asked Shenzi, once Banzai reported back in. A chorus of responses quickly echoed throughout their small group. "Good. Well, assuming you all heard me at that rock, you know our next move is treaty with Simba. Unfortunately, he probably won't listen to me. And we don't exactly have anything to offer him. Heck, we just lost a third of our entire group. So we're really in the deep end. With that being said, any suggestions?" Spoke Shenzi.

"Well, I am the king's daughter… And Kovu is the heir, so if we ask Simba politely, and show just how much you've suffered, he'll probably let you guys back in." Said Kiara.

"That wouldn't work. Simba has a deep seated mistrust of you guys. We need to come up with a convincing argument as to why he would let hyenas into the Pridelands." Said Kovu, rejecting Kiara's idea.

"Well, we can't go anyplace else. The desert still surrounds most of the Pridelands, and if Simba doesn't want us in the Pridelands, thirty-six hyenas would be easy picking for a group of lions. Especially half starved ones. The hunting parties never returned, and you lions didn't come with the shipment in time. Our only choice is to hunt right here, but if we hunt in the Pridelands without consent, it would be a death sentence." Added Macho darkly.

"So basically, we have only a few hours to come up with a decision. We're all hungrier than normal, so going without food only further weakens us. We have to find a way to convince Simba real soon." Said Fahama.

Shenzi rubbed her forehead, looking real tired.

"The situation gets worse and worse with every second….. Did we really lose _twenty eight_ hyenas?" Asked Shenzi.

"I'm afraid so. That's the final count." Replied Fahama. Ed let out a whimper.

"Sigh…. We have to act, now. I think Kiara had the best idea. Maybe, if she and Kovu ask, and we appeal to Simba's good side by showing how much we hyenas have lost and have suffered…. We could have a chance." Said Shenzi.

"Wait, are we sure about this?" Said Kovu.

"We can't wait. Shenzi is right that we have to do it now." Replied Macho.

"It's settled then. Tell everyone we're moving out in a few minutes." Ordered Shenzi. Macho, Fahama, Ed, and Banzai turned around to execute the order.

"Now, we hope we catch Simba in a good mood." Said Shenzi.

Kovu turned his gaze away from Shenzi to Pride Rock. Oh, he hoped Simba wouldn't be too angry about this!

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 **Welp, sorry about the wait, and the short chapter, and only one point of view, but I still hope you enjoyed! It seems the hyenas need to appeal to Simba if they are going to survive. Like Kovu, I hope he isn't too angry when he finds out about this! The next chapter will be the climax, so,,,, Be Prepared! Well then, leave a review if you liked it! It's a fanfiction crime to be following a story but not leave reviews you know. And if you think you spotted some mistakes in the writing, tell me where I messed up! I'm talking more about sentence structure blunders, and not petty grammar and spelling mistakes, but those work too. Remember, I want to improve my writing, and the best way to do it is by correcting things like run-on sentences! So leave a review if you liked it. Constructive criticism accepted. No Flaming**!


	15. Jokes and negotiations

**I got this idea from a story called 'A Light for everyone' by Alex Draco. The beginning of this story is similar to the beginning of his. However, my story goes in a bit of a different direction. But it was inspired by that story! You should go check it out, it's very well written in my opinion. One more thing. I am using some of Tearthgrrl OC's, just because they really add to the story. Tearthgrrl hasn't added anything to her profile for three years now, so I figured it would be okay to use some of her OC's. But credit where it's due!**

 **Tearthgrrl OC's:**

 **Maumbu- Ed's big brother, a healer, sort of like Rafiki.**

 **Hasina- Maumbu's mate**

 **By the way, whenever you see : ()()()()()()(()(())(), it means the point of view is changing. Also, I did some research and it turns out that even if a person is totally blind, they will still be able to see random lights and colors, those lights and colors just don't correspond to what is actually in front of them. But for the purpose of this story, total blindness will mean that all the person will be able to see is darkness. No lights or colors, just a black void. To clear things up, 'Macho' means 'vigilant' in swahili. And the name is pronounced 'maco' don't pronounce the ch sound.**

 **The point of view is going to be jumping around a lot this chapter, I felt it necessary for this chapter.**

 **Anyways, on with the fanfic!**

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 **Simba's POV**

Simba stood on the precipice of Pride Rock, gazing out at the Savannah. The rain had stopped a few hours ago, and he was enjoying the sunset. It really was a beautiful sunset, casting bright rays of sunlight across the sparkling grass. All he was missing was someone to enjoy it with.

As if on cue, Nala came up from behind him and sat down.

"Hey Nala." Said Simba, as he stared at the sun.

"Hi Simba." Replied Nala. On an unspoken agreement, they both sat in silence to watch the sun go down. It felt wonderful to Simba, just him and Nala, and no distractions. The breeze blew through his mane, ruffling it slightly. It was a perfect end to the day, and Simba was happy.

Nothing would interrupt this.

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 **Kiara's POV**

Kiara was suddenly nervous. She had felt so sure of herself a few hours ago, now, as she was about to talk to Simba, she felt her stomach tie itself in knots.

What if he didn't listen to her? What if he refused to help the hyenas? She hoped he would listen to reason, but she knew he sometimes let his emotions get in the way. When Kovu tried to join the pride, he initially was very distrustful, without much reason. Kovu did become friends with Simba eventually, but that took time. Now, they didn't have any time. Either Simba would say yes or no.

Shenzi, Banzai, and the clan healer, Maumbu, followed behind her. The rest of the hyenas were encamped in a grove of trees, to avoid detection. They didn't want to seem threatening, so they only sent a small group ahead to speak with Simba.

Kovu walked next to her, also clearly nervous. He had voiced his anxiety earlier, but now he was showing it with his silence, and hesitant expression. Shenzi also looked worried. She probably knew that if Simba reject their proposal, the hyenas were doomed.

In an attempt to lighten the subdued atmosphere, Banzai and Macho were exchanging wisecracks about lions.

"Hey Maumbu, how do lions pass the time?" Asked Banzai.

"I don't know. How?" Replied Maumbu.

"By lion around!" Said Banzai, with a wide grin on his face.

"Wait, wait, I got one. Okay Banzai, why wasn't the lion honest?" Said Maumbu , with a cocked eyebrow.

"Beats me." Responded Banzai.

"Because then he wouldn't be a lion anymore!" Both Maumbu and Banzai broke out in laughter, chuckling to themselves.

"Man, that one never gets old." Said Banzai, smirking.

"Yeah. Cause I haven't heard it at least a _thousand_ times!" Replied an agitated Kovu.

"Oh come on, don't you lions have a sense of humor?" Said Maumbu.

"Even I am tired of it at this point Banzai." Interjected Shenzi. Currently, she was leaning on Banzai, with one paw over his shoulder. They had discovered it was the best way for Shenzi to travel, since this way, she couldn't trip on rocks.

"Well, someone doesn't like the classics." Retorted Banzai, still grinning.

"Just keep quiet for the rest of this trip okay? We don't need extra aggravation." Replied Shenzi, scowling.

"No need to get angry Shenzi, we'll be there in a few minutes." Said Maumbu, suddenly acting more concerned.

"You're not my therapist Maumbu, I'm fine." Snarled Shenzi.

"No, you're not Shenzi. Listen, just relax. Pretty soon, this will all be over, one way or the other." Replied Maumbu.

"What I'm worried about is it will end the worst way possible." Said Shenzi pessimistically

"You needn't worry Shenzi, I'm his daughter. If anyone can convince him, I sure can." Said Kiara, doing her best to sound confident. Shenzi just gave a noncommittal grunt in reply. Kiara turned back to face Pride Rock. It loomed above, almost oppressively, as the huge shadow spread itself across the Pridelands. The sun would be down pretty soon.

Finally, they reached the base of Pride Rock. Kiara looked up, staring at the ramp that would take them to the dens. Now she felt _really_ nervous. Well, there was no going back now. Taking a quick look back at her companions, she hopped onto the first rock.

Before they reached the main dens, Kiara quickly turned around to speak with their group.

"Okay. I'm going to go get Simba. Just wait here, I'll be right back." She said. They all nodded in agreement. Kiara then hopped up to the den, and looked inside. All the lionesses were inside, not yet asleep, but settling down for the night. But she didn't see Simba anywhere.

She glanced back at the setting sun for a moment. Then, she saw Simba and Nala sitting out on the edge of Pride Rock, watching the sunset. Kiara walked over to them, and tapped Simba on the shoulder.

"Oh hey Kiara! You're back!" Said Simba, as he smiled at his daughter.

"Yeah, uh,,,, hi dad. Hi mom." Replied Kiara nervously.

"Hello sweetie" responded Nala.

"I need you for something dad." Blurted out Kiara.

"Well sure honey, what is it?" Asked Simba, still beaming at Kiara.

"Well, some animals need to meet with you." Said Kiara. Suddenly, her mouth was dry. They were approaching the subject.

"Which animals? Is it the cheetahs? I already solved their problem this morning." Replied Simba.

"No, not the cheetahs. It's…. Someone else." Kiara had begun to sweat. What would Simba say?

"Who is it then?" Repeated Simba.

"I'll just…. I'll just show you." Kiara put on a fake smile. "Follow me!" With that, she turned around, and made her way back down Pride Rock's precipice. She glanced back, and saw Simba was a bit confused, but was following her back.

"What's that peculiar smell on you Kiara?" Simba suddenly asked. Kiara gulped and turned to face her father.

"Well, I might've been rolling around in something earlier, and I haven't yet washed myself off…."

"Well, be sure to make a quick run to the watering hole before you go to sleep. I don't think I can sleep with that scent in the same den." Added Simba, looking serious.

Nala came up to her and sniffed Kiara again, with a suspicious look on her face. Then, Kiara saw a look of comprehension dawn on Nala's face. Kiara quickly flashed her best 'please don't say anything' look at her mom, then gestured to Simba to continue.

They walked back to the den, and Kiara turned right to walk back off Pride Rock. Then, she jumped down, and her parents did the same.

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 **Banzai's POV**

Banzai, Kovu, Shenzi, and Maumbu were waiting patiently for Kiara to return, albeit a bit anxiously. Everything depended on Simba's goodwill, so if he rejected them, the situation would be grim indeed.

"I see her! She's coming this way with Simba." Said Kovu, as he nervously tapped his claws on the rocks. Banzai looked up, and he saw that Kovu was right. When Kiara and Simba jumped down here, he would see them.

Kiara hopped down, with her father just behind her. Simba landed, shook himself off, then looked over at the group.

His smile immediately melted off, replaced with a snarl.

"You! Hyenas, what are you doing here!" He thundered. Kiara jumped in front of her father to explain.

"Wait dad! Wait, they're just here to talk, all the they want is to talk to you." She said.

"Kiara, you're _helping them_! Hyenas? Why?" Asked Simba, confused.

"Listen kingy, Kiara's right. As much as you may hate us, we really need to talk to you." Interrupted Shenzi.

"Talk? About what?" Glared Simba.

"We need your help Simba, so we've come to ask you for it. Don't worry, we're not planning another coup." Said Shenzi.

"Help? You need _my_ help?" Spat Simba angrily.

"Just hear us out, that's all we ask." Said Shenzi, pleading.

"Come on daddy, just hear them out." Added Kiara. Simba looked conflicted. On one paw, he looked like he wanted to tear out their throats. One the other, his duties as a king and the askance of his daughter made him want to listen to Shenzi.

" _Fine_. Fine. I'll hear you out. But if any of you three do anything even slightly suspicious, my lionesses will be on you in a flash." Growled Simba, as he gestured at the hyenas and dig his claws into the ground. Note to self, thought Banzai, don't make Simba angry.

"Come up here. We're going to do this in the cave." Added Simba, as he climbed back up to the den. Nala did the same, and after a few minutes of hesitation, they followed.

When they got up, Banzai saw Simba roar into the den, waking up the lionesses. He marched in, and sat down on the rock Scar always sat on. Banzai supposed all the kings sat there regularly.

At Simba's command, the lionesses lined up at the edges of the den, making way for the hyenas to enter. The three of them went in, with Shenzi still leaning on Banzai. He felt her muscles tense. They weren't in friendly territory.

"Okay then. You requested an audience, now you've got one. What exactly do you want from me?" Asked Simba, who scowled at them. Banzai looked nudged Shenzi, and she cleared her throat. Hopefully she would know what to say. Banzai didn't doubt her intelligence, but these lions made him nervous.

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 **Shenzi's POV**

Shenzi cleared her throat, preparing to speak. Simba didn't sound very accommodating at the moment, so she wouldn't waste time.

"Well, your majesty, put simply, we, the hyenas, need your help." She started. "Early this morning, the river that marks the western boundary of your Pridelands swelled to the breaking point, due to all the rain we've been having recently. The ridge at our border was broken through, and the Graveyard was flooded. It is now completely inhospitable, with no chance of hyenas being able to live there again. We lost a good many clanmates during the flood, and now our numbers are as thin as ever. All we ask is a small portion of the Pridelands, where we may hunt, and support ourselves."

"You want permission to hunt on the Pridelands? Why would I ever grant you permission?" Sneered Simba.

"Because we're starving! The food in the Graveyard was few and far between, but at least there was a little! We only lost the weakest to starvation. Now, we're going to lose everyone without food. And your Pridelands is the only provider for miles upon miles around." Said Shenzi.

"You hyenas denied yourselves that right when you over hunted during Scar's reign." Retorted Simba.

"That was due to the drought! Not our doing!" Replied Shenzi. Surely he didn't think the Pridelands were in such bad conditions during that time because of them!

"You supported Scar. And that is enough to keep you out of the Pridelands forever." Leered Simba.

"We only helped him because he promised us food! We were starving even back then, so when a lion tells us all we have to do for some meat is to start a stampede, we took it!" Yelled Shenzi. She waited for his response, hoping to convince Simba once and for all that the hyenas weren't as bad as he thought they were.

"Uh oh." Banzai muttered next to her. Uh oh? Uh oh about what?

"Wait, that was you?" Came Simba's voice. Shenzi gulped. She made a mistake. Simba didn't know it was them that had caused the stampede. And she had just told him it was the hyenas who were standing in his very throne room.

" _You_ started the stampede? You were the ones who made the wildebeest run through that gorge?" Snarled Simba, sounding very, very angry.

"Oh… Well, sort of… I mean… Scar told us too, and, well, we scared the wildebeest into a gorge,,,, and well.." But she never finished her sentence. For at that moment, she felt something slam into her, and pin her onto her back.

"Gah!" She yelled in surprise. Next to her, she heard Banzai give an 'oof' of surprise, as if the wind had been knocked out of him. And of course, right above her, she heard the snarling of a lion. Just perfect.

"Get off of me!" She yelped, when Simba's claws dug into her shoulders, pinning her forelegs to her sides.

"No. I've had enough of you hyenas. You're going to get out of here, and leave. Or I will chase you all out myself." Threatened Simba.

"What! No, you can't do that!" Cried Shenzi. "We can't survive outside of the Pridelands! There's no food in the outlands!"

"Well, that's just too bad for you then." Growled Simba menacingly.

"No, you stinking lions! Just because you're bigger and stronger, you think you can push us around! You know, I think it was your grandfather who exiled us to the Graveyard, and do you know why? Mohatu messed up in a decision, and he needed a scapegoat to blame the mistake on! And he chose us! And ever since then, you lions wonder why we hate you! Why we always fought you every step of the way! When we joined Scar, it was because we were starving, but also because we finally had a chance at revenge. So when we started that stampede, we did it with zeal. And when we found your father's dead body, you'd better believe we spat on it!" Shenzi yelled. All her anger and confusion throughout her life was in that statement. It was unfair that the lions could live in paradise, while the hyenas in hell. And when she was blinded, things only got worse. So it felt good to finally yell her frustrations at what was causing it.

Shenzi then heard Simba's growls pause, and she knew she had gone too far. She felt one of his claws retract out of her shoulder, and his weight redistributed onto his left side. It wasn't a mystery as to what he was preparing to do.

"Say _goodbye_ Shenzi." Simba snarled.

Well, it looked like this was it. At least she met her end while insulting a lion. There weren't many better ways to go. She braced herself for whatever it felt like to have your own throat torn out.

Suddenly, Simba's weight vanished, as if he was thrown off her.

"Time to go! Said Banzai, as she felt him grab her from behind, and quickly drag her backwards. She got back up to her feet quickly, and felt both Banzai and Maumbu press up against her from either side, growling. From all around her, she heard lionesses snarl, and the snarls were coming closer.

"Stay back!" Came Banzai's voice, probably yelling at the lionesses encircling them.

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 **Kiara's POV**

Kiara got up, and looked over at her father, who shook himself off and looked back at her with an expression of vast disappointment. She had just lunged at him to knock him off Shenzi to stop him from killing her. Clearly, he did not approve.

"We'll talk about this later Kiara." Said Simba, now looking angry, as he walked out to chase the hyenas. Kiara watched him leave, now afraid. He was still going to kill Shenzi!

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 **Banzai's POV**

They were surrounded! The lionesses had them on every side! Out of the frying pan, and into the fire!

"Banzai listen. I'm going to distract the lionesses best I can. You take Shenzi and run!" Whispered Maumbu, as they stood in the center of the circle.

"Do it Maumbu! But nothing too stupid! Ordered Shenzi. Maumbu then suddenly ran at one of the lions as fast as he could, and made to jump at it. The lioness reared up, preparing to intercept. At the last moment, Maumbu slid, and clawed the underbelly of the lion, leaving a long gash on it's chest and stomach.

Banzai took his chance right then, and directed Shenzi toward the fallen lioness. They ran around Maumbu, and made for ramp that lead down Pride Rock. Behind them, Maumbu leaped to the side to avoid the claws of a vengeful lion.

They had almost made it when Simba leaped out from the cave, baring his teeth at the fleeing hyenas.

"Darnit!" Cried Banzai. He shoved Shenzi to the side, and followed suit just in time to avoid Simba's claws. Catching the lion off-balance, Banzai then lunged at Simba, and pushed him over.

"Hurry up Banzai!" Called Shenzi. Banzai ran back to Shenzi, intent on making a run for it with her, when he realized where they were. They were backed against a wall! Turning back around, he saw Simba get up, and he still blocked the ramp.

"Okay Shenzi, we've got to climb, that's all we gotta do." He said, doing his best to reassure himself. The wall was at an angle, so it should be possible for them to scramble up it.

"Climb? Climb where?" Asked Shenzi.

"Here!" Banzai grabbed Shenzi by the scruff of her neck, and hoisted her against the cliff face. She dug her claws into the rocks, then Banzai followed suit. Guiding her, they made it up the first few feet in a few seconds. Good thing too, because Simba was right below them.

Simba was snarling at them, unable to follow, because the paw holds they were using were too small for the big paws of a lion.

"You Hyenas! I'll tear your throats right out of your necks!

"Quickly, quickly." Muttered Banzai, as He fearfully glanced back down. He saw Maumbu had made a break for it, with gashes on his rump and on his back. He ran down the rocks bleeding, with lionesses on his tail.

"Banzai, I am hurrying! It's you that's too slow!" Retorted Shenzi. Below them, Simba saw where they were going, and had rushed of to use an alternate route to beat them to it.

"We got to beat Simba to the first edge! If we make it up to a cliff edge first, we can make a run for it! But if Simba gets there first, we'll be pulling a second Mufasa!" Said Banzai.

"Well then hurry!" Repeated Shenzi. Banzai looked up past the rocks he was clawing at. A cliff edge was only a few feet above them! They were almost there!

Banzai hauled himself over the side, and then helped Shenzi up as well. They had made it!

"We're up! Let's go!" Said Banzai. Suddenly, off to the side, Simba appeared, and roared at them in anger.

"Oh come on!" Shouted Banzai. He grabbed Shenzi again and pulled her along as he ran the other way on the cliff. Behind them, Simba ran at them, and he was gaining fast.

"Oh crap… Well, let's try this!" Said Banzai, as he suddenly stopped and slashed at a pile of rocks that were precariously balanced on the edge. The rock pile fell over, causing a small avalanche on the side of Pride Rock. He and Shenzi jumped out of the way, but Simba had to stop to let the rocks tumble through before he could proceed.

"Yes! Come on Shenzi!" Cried Banzai, as they continued on their way along the cliff.

Eventually, they reached an area where the cliffside ended.

"Dead end! What!" Said Banzai, complaining to no one in particular.

"Did you say dead end? Banzai, you had better not have picked a path with a dead end." Said Shenzi.

"I'm working on it, no need to get frustrated." Retorted Banzai. He looked at the area where the cliff ended. A few feet out, maybe within jumping distance, it started again. If they leaped over there, they could continue on their way.

"Well, just let me try something. If it works, I'll come get you." Said Banzai. He left Shenzi's side, and prepared to make the leap. He backed up slightly, then ran forward and pushed off with his back legs as hard as he could. He made the jump easily, even Shenzi could probably do it while blind.

Then, he turned around to call back to Shenzi, and what he saw nearly gave him a heart attack. There, standing in front of Shenzi, was Simba, with one of his paws raised.

And Shenzi didn't see it.

"Shenzi!" He cried desperately.

Shenzi turned toward his voice and asked as if nothing was wrong.

"What?"

But that was the last thing she said before before Simba brought his paw down, and hit her hard on the side. She gave a yip of surprise, then tumbled over the edge.

Right over the edge of Pride Rock.

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 **Welp, cliffhanger! Almost literally, except no one is hanging onto anything. Just falling.**

 **And you want to know the best part? I won't even be updating this over the weekend, because I'm going to a cabin with no internet. And you want to know what makes this even better? I myself haven't yet actually decided if I'm going to have Shenzi live through this, or die in the fall. Don't get me wrong, Shenzi is my favorite character, but what an ending if she gets killed here! Anyways, don't hate me for it if she does die. In fact, I've got an idea! How about you guys vote in the reviews which fate you want to befall her. If you want her to live, leave a review telling me that! If you want her to die, do the same.**

 **Also, just so y'all know, I'm not trying to demonize Simba. Kindness is part of his character, it's just that for this story, he really hates the hyenas, and tries to get them to leave. But when Shenzi accidentally tells him they started the Stampede, his anger gets the best of him.**

 **It's a fanfiction crime to be following a story but not review you know! If you spotted some grammatical errors, tell me where they were, and I'll correct it. The only way for my writing to improve is like this!**

 **Cya in the next chapter!**


	16. Escape and deepest sorrow

**Im back sooner than I thought I would be! Here's the resolution to that nasty cliffhanger... :)**

 **I got this idea from a story called 'A Light for everyone' by Alex Draco. The beginning of this story is similar to the beginning of his. However, my story goes in a bit of a different direction. But it was inspired by that story! You should go check it out, it's very well written in my opinion. One more thing. I am using some of Tearthgrrl OC's, just because they really add to the story. Tearthgrrl hasn't added anything to her profile for three years now, so I figured it would be okay to use some of her OC's. But credit where it's due!**

 **Tearthgrrl OC's:**

 **Maumbu- Ed's big brother, a healer, sort of like Rafiki.**

 **Hasina- Maumbu's mate**

 **By the way, whenever you see : ()()()()()()(()(())(), it means the point of view is changing. Also, I did some research and it turns out that even if a person is totally blind, they will still be able to see random lights and colors, those lights and colors just don't correspond to what is actually in front of them. But for the purpose of this story, total blindness will mean that all the person will be able to see is darkness. No lights or colors, just a black void. To clear things up, 'Macho' means 'vigilant' in swahili. And the name is pronounced 'maco' don't pronounce the ch sound.**

 **Anyways, on with the fanfic!**

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 **Maumbu's POV**

Maumbu jumped from rock to rock, making his way down the ramp that lead to the ground. Behind him, he heard the snarls of angry lionesses, who were giving chase. Earlier, they had slashed him on his flank, and he was bleeding all along his back. Unfortunately for him, the dripping blood would only make it harder for him to evade the enraged lions.

Well, he hoped the injuries had at least served a purpose, he had garnered them while trying to allow Banzai and Shenzi time to escape. Last he saw, they were climbing up the walls of Pride Rock, trying to evade Simba. Hopefully they would make it out, but it would certainly require some thinking on the terms of Banzai.

He made it down onto soil, and he broke into a sprint. Behind him, the lionesses did the same. He had shorter legs than a lion, so it wouldn't be long before they caught up to him. He wanted to avoid that at all costs, one on one a lion would almost always beat a hyena.

He jumped into a bush, splashing the green leaves with bright red. Then, he shuffled to the side as quickly as he could. When the lioness jumped into the bush to tear him apart, he lashed out with both his forelegs, and cut a long gash on the lion's stomach. The lioness hit the other side of the bush, and immediately roared in pain. Being a healer, Maumbu knew that the stomach was the weakest spot on any animal. Most life threatening battle injuries were sustained there. So it certainly served to momentarily incapacitate the lioness.

The cries of the lioness would serve to distract the others for a few moments. He had to make a break for it now. Maumbu jumped from the bush, and continued to sprint away from Pride Rock. Hyenas had pretty good stamina, but Maumbu was beginning to tire from his wounds. All he had to do was get back to the grove of trees where the hyenas were hiding, and then he could warn them of the vengeful lions that would inevitably come.

As he ran over the crest of a hill, he glanced back at Pride Rock, and he saw the lions regrouping. They would give chase in a few minutes, he had to beat them to his clan! Panting, he made his way back through the grass to his friends. The night sky shone down onto the savannah, casting it's silver light across the grass.

Eventually, he spotted the sentry who stood guard outside the hyena's hiding spot.

"Macho! Hey Macho!" He shouted, running up to the stern lieutenant.

"Maumbu? Is that you?" Replied Macho, as he squinted in his direction.

"Yes! Yes it's me. Listen Macho, we have to run! We've gotta get out of here before the lionesses find us!" Replied Maumbu, as he arrived at Macho's position.

"The lionesses? Are they chasing you? And where's Matriarch Shenzi and Banzai? Asked Macho, looking worried.

"Well… The talk didn't go well. Shenzi accidentally said something that offended Simba, and Simba nearly killed Shenzi. Except Kiara intervened at the last moment, and we ran out of the den, pursued by lions. I ran one way, they ran the other. I couldn't check if they escaped or not, I was too busy trying to avoid having my throat torn out. I gave the lions the slip, but they're still searching for me. And,.. I left a trail of blood. They'll find it eventually, and follow it back here. If if they catch us, it's going to be a bloodbath." Explained Maumbu hurriedly.

"We've got to get everyone out of here then. Stay here and watch for lions. I'm going to alert Fahama, and we'll run back to what's left of the Graveyard. It'll serve as a sanctuary from hunting lions, at least for the moment." With that, Macho turned around and ran into the grove of trees.

Maumbu sat himself down and stared out at the savannah, eyes roving for any sign of murderous lions. Then, a hyena came up from behind him and started to whimper.

"Oh. Hey Ed." Said Maumbu. Ed looked at him, and started to sound out different noises and squeals.

"You want to know where Shenzi and Banzai are?" Asked Maumbu. Only him and Banzai had ever understood what Ed was saying. He had a whole different language he used, and Maumbu had taken the time to try to understand it when he was younger.

"Well… Your friends didn't make it back with me. Hopefully they escaped, but…. It didn't look good for them the last time I saw them.

In response, Ed growled a bit.

"Look Ed, I did my best. I'm the only reason they had a chance at all. I just got lucky and ran back here." Said Maumbu. He didn't want Ed to hate him for abandoning his friends.

Ed whimpered again, and pointed back at Pride Rock.

"Ed, don't go looking for them. If any lionesses see you, they'll kill you." Warned Maumbu. Ed never was a fighter, and usually had trouble focusing on tasks. If he went back to Pride Rock, he didn't have a chance.

Ed growled again, and made a face at Maumbu.

"I'm serious Ed, don't go. I know they are your friends, but the best thing to do now is wait for them. Shenzi is resourceful, I'm sure they'll be fine." Reassured Maumbu.

With that, Maumbu turned back to the empty savannah. He couldn't let Ed distract him from his job. Next to him, Ed whimpered, sounding indecisive. Suddenly, Ed ran past Maumbu, and bolted towards Pride Rock.

"No, Come back here Ed!" Shouted Maumbu, surprised. What was Ed thinking? Completely ignoring his calls, Ed continued to run across the grass.

"Ed, stop! You know, if the lions kill you, it won't be my fault!" He shouted. Ed didn't even glance back, and kept running. Cursing in frustration, Maumbu stayed where he was. If he chased after Ed, he'd be abandoning his post as sentry. It would be his fault if the lions attacked without warning.

As Ed ran off into the darkness of the night, Maumbu hoped he would at least be successful in finding Shenzi and Banzai.

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 **Banzai's POV, a few minutes earlier.**

"No!" Cried Banzai, as Shenzi tumbled over the cliff.

He ran to the edge, and watched, while filled with horror, her descent. The first two times she hit the rocks, she gave sharp cries of pain, but the third time, no sound was heard. And then she fell out of sight, into a small ravine hundreds of feet below them.

"No….. Shenzi!" He cried again, his eyes wide as he stared down the cliffside. He glanced to his right, and saw that Simba was now running towards him, probably to finish the job. He wouldn't allow him to get the satisfaction of of knocking a second hyena of the cliff however.

Before Simba made it to him, Banzai jumped over the edge, and started to slide down the cliffside. He picked up speed, and had to spread out his legs to keep his balance. Dirt and small rocks got caught in his claws, but he would remove them later.

Eventually, he skidded to a stop, now at the bottom of Pride Rock. He looked back up the way he came, and he saw Simba frowning down at him, all the way up there. Then, Simba turned around and walked away without ceremony.

It didn't seem as if Simba was intent on keeping up the chase, so Banzai figured he was okay for the moment. Now he had to find Shenzi, and make sure she was all right.

"Shenzi! Shenzi, where are you?" He shouted, as he looked around the rocks. She had to be around here somewhere, he had seen her fall into this area.

"Shenzi! Please answer me!" He repeated, starting to get more worried. Where the heck was she?

"Come on Shenz, this isn't funny! Answer me!" He pleaded into the air. He hopped into the tiny gorge he saw her fall into earlier. She had to be around here! Then, he turned the corner of the ravine he was searching in, and he stopped.

There, in front of him, was Shenzi, lying on her side. She wasn't moving, and something seemed to be wrong with the way she was lying.

Banzai didn't think legs could bend that way…..Then, his gaze traveled to another part of her body.

He didn't think that would normally bend either.

"Oh no….. No no no no no no no no no! Shenzi!" Cried Banzai, as he ran up to her and poked her in the chest, trying to get her to move.

"Come on Shenzi! Wake up! Come on come on come on!" Banzai was on the verge of tears now, why wasn't she moving!

"Just… Please! Say something!" Pleaded Banzai. "Please… Something. _Anything_." Shenzi didn't move, no matter what his prompt.

"No!" He screamed, his cries rending the air. "She didn't deserve this! She didn't deserve this…." Banzai was crying now, but he wasn't trying to hold the tears back.

"Why! What twisted, screwed up fate is this? All she wanted was to protect and provide for her clanmates! And she gets this!?" Banzai screamed up at the night sky, tears streaming down his muzzle.

"No! No, this can't be happening, why was she taken! It's too soon! I never told her…. I never told her how I felt! I… I… I never got the chance! And, now, it's too late, it's too late forever!" Banzai whimpered next to Shenzi, and lied down, continuing to sob. Why was fate so cruel? _Why was fate so cruel!_

He wanted to nuzzle up next to her, to try for one last bit of comfort, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. She never let him do anything of that sort before, it would be disrespectful to do it now. Even so, he stayed next to her, sobbing, and avoiding looking at her face. It would cause him to break down even further, and he couldn't handle it.

Why did this have to happen?

 _Simba_. That was it. He was the reason for this, it was him that knocked her over the edge. Banzai growled, and he stood back up to glare at Pride Rock.

"I curse you Simba!" He yelled, perfectly aware he probably couldn't hear him. It didn't matter, it still had to be said. "I curse you, with every bone in my body! One day, I don't know when, but one day in the future, we'll see each other again Simba! Even if it's going to be in the very depths of hell! And when that day comes, I'm going to tear your throat right out of that neck! And as you struggle to take your last breath, I'm going to tell you _exactly_ why I did it! So you had better sleep with one eye open, cause it's going to happen eventually!" Banzai finished his rant, and looked back down at Shenzi.

"Don't worry Shenzi, I promise, upon my life, that I will do exactly what you would have wanted me to do. I'll protect the clan to the very best of my ability, no one is going to harm them ever again. I don't know how yet, but they will all be fed. They won't starve. I'll finish what you started." Promised Banzai. Revenge would have to wait. Shenzi would have preferred that he watched out for the clan instead of going on a suicidal mission to kill the king. He would get to it, but he had to do this first.

But before even that, he would spend a few more minutes with his childhood friend. One last time. One Last Try, to tell her how he felt. Even if she couldn't hear him.

"Shenzi,... I'm sorry, that I couldn't stop Simba. I'm sorry, for all those times that I let you down. I'm sorry that I let this happen, that I didn't warn you in time. But Shenzi, I tried. All of those times, when I didn't come up to snuff, I was doing my best….. I was doing my best _for you_. I…. I loved you Shenzi, even before I knew the meaning of the word. And I still love you." There. He had finally said it. Too late, but he had said it.

Banzai raised his right foreleg to rub his eyes clear of the salty liquid. He had had enough of water today, he didn't need more. He sat there, staring down at his childhood friend, not moving.

He didn't notice it at first, but Ed came up from behind him, and kept him company. Ed whimpered, as he realized what this meant. Banzai finally turned around slowly, and walked away, with Ed following. He had to get back to the rest of the hyenas, and tell them what happened. He, Macho, and Fahama would come up with something. Three heads were better than one.

Ever so slowly, he trudged out of the ravine with Ed. The world seemed so much colder now, the stars seemed to shine with hate, not warmth.

Everything seemed worse, now that Shenzi was dead.

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 **Kovu's POV**

Kovu and Kiara had made a hasty exit from Pride Rock when they saw Simba returning. He had looked angry, so they figured they would give him a day or two to calm down before they spoke to him again. Simba's wrath wasn't something to to mess with.

They walked around the backside of Pride Rock, since that was where none of the lionesses had gone. They were all searching for the rest of the hyenas, since Maumbu had gotten away. He had scratched Vitani real well on the stomach whilst doing so, and now the lionesses wanted revenge.

They of course excused themselves before the lions departed, and now they were headed off in the opposite direction of the search. The weight of what they had done, defied the king, caused a uncomfortable curtain of silence to descend upon them. Which was exactly why they were going to give Simba time to cool down.

Kovu was hopping over a small ravine, when his paw slipped and he fell in with a thud.

"Oof!" He cried.

"Hey Kovu, I don't think that's how a lion jumps you know." Joked Kiara, as she hopped in next to him.

"Sorry, my paw got caught on something." Replied Kovu, in an attempt to excuse himself from the embarasment. Then, he saw something that caught his eye. "Hey Kiara, there's another animal here." He said, as he padded over to a lump of grey fur. He turned it over, and got a good look at the face.

He gasped.

"Hey Kiara, over here, it's Shenzi!" He called. Kiara came running, and she gasped as well when she saw the hyena. Two of her legs were broken, one foreleg and a backleg on the opposite side. And, unfortunately, it looked like her back was broken.

Kiara leaned down to Shenzi's chest, and pressed her ear against Shenzi's fur. She stood there for a moment, listening. Then she pulled her head back, and looked at Kovu with a smile.

"She's still alive!"

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 **Whoops…. Looks like Banzai forgot to check for a heartbeat! -_- Anyhow, things look even worse for Shenzi! Is her back completely broken? And two of her legs too! Man…. I'm really beating her up in this story aren't I. Well, if you liked this chapter, leave a review! It's a fanfiction Crime to be following a story but not review you know. Anonymous reviews are great too! And if you think you spotted some mistakes in the writing, tell me where I messed up! I'm talking more about sentence structure blunders, and not petty grammar and spelling mistakes, but those work too. Remember, I want to improve my writing, and the best way to do it is by correcting things like run-on sentences! So leave a review if you liked it. Constructive criticism accepted. No Flaming**!


	17. Bad Dreams and Healing

**I got this idea from a story called 'A Light for everyone' by Alex Draco. The beginning of this story is similar to the beginning of his. However, my story goes in a bit of a different direction. But it was inspired by that story! You should go check it out, it's very well written in my opinion. One more thing. I am using some of Tearthgrrl OC's, just because they really add to the story. Tearthgrrl hasn't added anything to her profile for three years now, so I figured it would be okay to use some of her OC's. But credit where it's due!**

 **Tearthgrrl OC's:**

 **Maumbu- Ed's big brother, a healer, sort of like Rafiki.**

 **Hasina- Maumbu's mate**

 **By the way, whenever you see : ()()()()()()(()(())(), it means the point of view is changing. Also, I did some research and it turns out that even if a person is totally blind, they will still be able to see random lights and colors, those lights and colors just don't correspond to what is actually in front of them. But for the purpose of this story, total blindness will mean that all the person will be able to see is darkness. No lights or colors, just a black void. To clear things up, 'Macho' means 'vigilant' in swahili. And the name is pronounced 'maco' don't pronounce the ch sound. Also, I don't know if you knew this, but Scar's name was Taka before he got his Scar.**

 **Anyways, on with the fanfic!**

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Shenzi's POV

Shenzi opened her eyes, and looked around.

Which of course was a surprise in itself, because she couldn't see.

That meant she was back in a dreamscape.

Which of course was wonderful. Being on a dream was infinitely better than real life. Here in a dream, she could see, she could hunt to her content, and there were no limits, because dreams always ended. You didn't have to worry about consequences, because when it was over, whatever happened in the dream would exist only in memory.

The best part was the temporary restoration of her sight. Since this was a dream, her dream, her blindness didn't transfer over from reality. It certainly was exhilarating to lose that handicap, even if only in a dream.

Shenzi stood up, and looked around again. She was in the Elephant Graveyard, inside an Elephant skull. Beside her, Banzai and Ed lay snoring, completely oblivious to her presence. It was nighttime, but no stars were out. Shenzi trotted out of the skull, taking in more of her surroundings. This was her cub hood den, along with her friends. Looking down at her paws, she saw they were rather short. She was an adolescent again!

Shenzi wrinkled her nose in confusion. Every time she dreamed, it was always about an event from her past. But what was so special about tonight? She had relived the day she became Matriarch dozens of times. And the day she met Banzai and Ed. And the day her mother died. Not all her dreams were happy ones.

The question here was, what was she supposed to do now? Maybe she should just prance around and run as fast as she could and otherwise enjoy her sight before she woke back up. That would make her happy. And she would need some happiness too, considering how dismal it was to be awake lately. Be blind wasn't fun for her, especially since her favorite pastime was running through the grass with the wind in her fur. That alongside admonishing Banzai and eating zebra. Zebra was her favorite food after all.

As Shenzi sat outside the skull pondering on what to do next, she heard a voice call her name.

"Shenzi! Help! Help me!" Screamed someone from off in the distance. Shenzi's eyes widened and her fur bristled. That was tonight? She was reliving this of all things? It had been years since she had dreamed about tonight's events. Ever since they slew Scar, this one had stopped.

So why was it back now of all times?

It didn't matter. Long ago, she had swore to herself that there were certain dreams in which she had to mirror to reality down to the letter. And this was one of them. She turned around and ran back to the skull to wake up her cohorts.

"Ed! Banzai! Wake up!" She yelled, as she whacked them both.

"Oh geez Shenzi, what time is it? Can't this wait…" Moaned the younger version of Banzai. Ed got up instantly, giggling and smiling.

"No! Now come on! We have to hurry if we're going to get this right!" She responded urgently. Which was true. They had to hurry if they were going to make it in time.

"I said come on!" She repeated, as she went back out of the skull. Banzai and Ed trotted out to follow her.

"What is it then?" Asked Banzai, as he rubbed his eyes. Just at that moment, the voice came again, louder this time, and closer.

"Help me! Shenzi! Somebody, help!"

"Is that… Taka?!" Asked Banzai, incredulously.

"Yes! And clearly, he needs help! Now follow me, or we won't get there in time!" Said Shenzi. With that, she turned around, and ran down the hill as fast as she could go. Which wasn't that fast. The legs of a pup did that to you, being shorter and whatnot.

This wasn't her least favorite dream. Her mother's death was the worst, but this one was up there. Despite that, she knew exactly where to go. She ran through a ravine, and then up a hill. The three of them skidded to a stop on a small cliff, that overlooked yet another ravine. The Graveyard had a lot of them.

"Okay, we're almost there." She whispered to her friends. "Stay low, and don't be seen!"

"Where's Taka?" Asked Banzai, as he looked around.

In answer to his question, a dark orange lion ran by them. It was larger than a cub, but not as large as a full grown lion. It had the beginnings of a mane, and was clearly an adolescent. The lion chasing it however, was most certainly a full grown lion, with a large black mane, and sharp white teeth. Taka was being chased by his own father, and his father didn't seem particularly merciful at the moment.

Taka's eyes were wide with fear, or at least his right eye was, the other was closed with blood streaming down the left side of his face. He had a long gash across that eye, and it was very fresh. Clearly he had only gotten it moments before. Taka saw the ravine and slid to a stop before he tumbled over the side. His father also stopped, growling at his son angrily.

"I'm sorry dad! I'm sorry, I meant to tell you earlier! Leave me alone!" Cried Taka fearfully, as his father, Ahadi, advanced toward the cornered lion.

"You never respected me son. I told you to do something, and you refused! And then I find out that you're actually friends with hyenas! Don't you _remember_ what they did to your grandfather Mohatu?" Snarled Ahadi, as he slowly crept toward his son.

"No! I, I,,, the hyenas aren't that bad! They just… just please let me go!" Pleaded Taka, as he grimaced from pain and fear.

"No. You were always the runt, the _disappointment_. I should have done this a long time ago, I should have thrown you out at birth. It was only ever your mother that kept my wrath at bay. Now, I'm going to finally be rid of you." Growled Ahadi, as he raised his paw, claws extended.

Shenzi knew time had run out. Quickly, she turned to her comrades to explain her plan.

"Okay guys, here's the deal. I'll run in on the left, Banzai, you go in on the right. Claw him as hard as you can, then follow my lead. Ed, just bite him on the butt as hard as you can, and run. Got it?" They both nodded vigorously, and Shenzi turned back around to execute her plan.

"Go!" She yelled. Shenzi ran forward toward Taka, passing Ahadi on the left side. As she ran, she stretched out her paw, claws unsheathed. She raked Ahadi on the side, doing her best to scratch as deep as she could. Ahadi roared in pain, as he whipped around to see who had slashed him. Ed stood there, licking his chops, having already bit the angry lion on the leg. Immediately, Ed took a hint and ran off as fast as he could. Ahadi failed to see Shenzi and Banzai in time, and they ran to Taka, who stood gaping at the hyenas.

Shenzi jumped at Taka, and headbutted him backwards. Both she, Taka, and Banzai fell over the edge of the ravine. Fortunately for them, she knew exactly what to do. She readjusted herself, and they slid down, and skidded to a stop at the bottom.

Taka got back up, and then fell back down onto the ground. He groaned in pain, as blood spurted out of his face. The entire left side of his head was streaming with the red liquid. Ahadi had slashed him real well.

"How badly are you hurt?" She asked urgently.

"Ugh… Hi Shenzi." He replied, trying to smile at his friend. All he managed was a twisted grimace.

"This isn't a time to dilly dally! How badly are you hurt!" She repeated.

"Man… Father got me real well on the face. You can probably tell that though. I can't even open that eye…." Taka winced in pain, clearly doing his best to keep from moaning.

"Listen, as long as Ed has got your dad distracted, we got a chance. If we can make it to my mom, she'll protect us. Even the king can't fight a whole clanful of Hyenas." Said Shenzi.

"Let's go then!" Interrupted Banzai.

"Right. Are you strong enough to walk?" Asked Shenzi, looking at Taka.

"I think so.. I took a little spill in you guy's escape plan." Replied Taka.

"Hey, it was either that, or getting eaten. You tell me which is worse. Now come, we gotta go before Ahadi finds us." With that, Shenzi nudged Taka again, to urge him to get up. There was no way she could drag an adolescent lion as a hyena hardly older than a pup. If Taka didn't move himself, they would be in trouble.

"I'm working on it… Ungh.. Heh.. Okay." Taka gasped from pain, his paw twitching, resisting the urge to wipe the blood from his face.

"This way." Shenzi and Banzai trotted down the length of the ravine, sticking next to Taka. They could at least provide their friend with moral support.

Eventually, Taka stumbled out of the ravine, still grimacing. The blood kept flowing, leaving a trail behind them. If Ahadi found it, he could track them down quickly enough. A few more minutes passed. Angry roars sounded around them, the sound of an infuriated lion. At least he hadn't found them yet.

They were only a few more hills left to go! In a few more minutes, they would be safe, protected by the members of their clan. Ahadi would have to back off then! At that moment, Ed came bounding up to them, his crazed smile still gracing his face. He laughed, and stood in front of the three of them.

"Ed! What are you doing here! Where's Ahadi?" Asked Banzai roughly.

In response, Ed simply giggled. Shenzi had never been able to make sense of Ed's babbles. But Banzai always could understand them just fine.

"Ahadi's distracted? Good job Ed!" Congratulated Banzai. Banzai then turned to Shenzi to translate.

"Kingy is looking for Ed over at the geyser fields. He won't know Ed is gone for hours yet! The colored steam is pretty good for escapes." Said Banzai, eyebrow cocked.

"Sweet! We just got a few more hills to get by, then we'll reach the main encampment. We'll be safe there, and we could get Taka patched up." Replied Shenzi optimisticically. Man! Her voice was really sqeaky! Being a pup meant annoying high voices.

"Let's…. Let's get there then…ungh!" Groaned Taka. He was starting to lose too much blood!

"Right. We're off!" Said Banzai.

"Oh I don't think so." Growled a menacing voice from behind them. Shenzi slowly turned around, as did her three comrades. There stood Ahadi, teeth bared, advancing closer to them.

That wasn't good.

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Kiara's POV

Kiara and Kovu stood in Rafiki's tree. They had gently dragged Shenzi's body over here as fast as they could, in hopes of helping Shenzi. Rafiki, the Pride's Shaman, was adept at the healing arts, so he was the only one who would be able to help here. They had no idea where Maumbu, the hyenas healer, had ran off to, so they couldn't go to him.

When they had arrived at the base of the gigantic tree, they had called up to the mandarill, who had helped them to get the injured hyena up the tree. Once up, Rafiki began to inspect the patient, diagnosing her.

"Verra serious, verra serious indeed." Mused the Shaman. He picked up one of Shenzi's legs and shook it gently. "Dees two legs are broke." He said as he gestured at Shenzi's right back leg, and her left foreleg. "But wat ees more worryin ees her back."

"Can you fix it?" Blurted Kiara. She had to ask that question, it was weighing in on the back of her mind.

"Dat ees the trouble eesnt it?" Said Rafiki. "De spine is a veree delicat part oh dee body. If eet wasn't snapped too badlee, dere ees a chance I can help her. But a total severence, that even I can't doo a ting about."

Kiara gulped. If Shenzi's spine was broken completely, she wouldn't be able to walk ever again! That was practically a death sentence, even worse than the blindness that currently ailed Shenzi.

First, Rafiki took a salve and rubbed it onto the extruding part of Shenzi's back. Then, he took a sharp rock and carefully cut open that area of the skin. He examined the spine, and gently fingered the extruding part.

"Well, unless yoo two don't weesh to lose yer breakfast I suggeest you leave fo dis part." Said Rafiki, gesturing to Kovu and Kiara. Kiara nodded to Kovu, and they walked over to another giant branch to sit down.

"So then… That's not good." Started Kovu.

"Yeah, No kidding." Snorted Kiara. They both sat in silence for a few more moments.

"What if she becomes lame? Losing her legs,,, how horrible that would be." Said Kiara. Hopefully Kovu would have something comforting to say.

"I agree. That's horrible, for any animal. You know, I originally thought that hyenas were evil, vile creatures, but meeting Shenzi has changed that outlook. Hyenas are just like you or me." Said Kovu.

"It's not their fault for getting a reputation as filthy scavengers. They had to scavenge the worst of the worst in order to survive. If anything, we lions are the mean ones in this story." Mused Kiara.

"Well, I suppose that's why we're doing this. Helping hyenas I mean. To redeem for the sins of our ancestors." Replied Kovu.

"I just dearly hope she'll be alright. She's suffered so much already, she doesn't need this." Added Kiara, worrying.

"Rafiki is the best healer in the Pridelands! If anyone can do it, he can. We just have to show a little faith." Replied Kovu seriously.

"I suppose so…." Said Kiara. She looked up at the stars, shining coldly down on her. Most nights, the stars were comforting, but tonight, they were just bleak. Kiara laid her head down on Kovu's forelegs, closing her eyes.

Some sleep would do her good.

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 **Well, a short little chapter to check back up on Shenzi. Not much that's too central to the plot. The dream has no bearing at all, but at least Kiara and Kovu got Shenzi to Rafiki. It's a fanfiction crime to be following a story but not review! Constructive criticism accepted. No flaming!**


	18. Return and A Wake-up Call

**I felt bad for the short chapter yesterday, so here's another!**

 **I got this idea from a story called 'A Light for everyone' by Alex Draco. The beginning of this story is similar to the beginning of his. However, my story goes in a bit of a different direction. But it was inspired by that story! You should go check it out, it's very well written in my opinion. One more thing. I am using some of Tearthgrrl OC's, just because they really add to the story. Tearthgrrl hasn't added anything to her profile for three years now, so I figured it would be okay to use some of her OC's. But credit where it's due!**

 **Tearthgrrl OC's:**

 **Maumbu- Ed's big brother, a healer, sort of like Rafiki.**

 **Hasina- Maumbu's mate**

 **By the way, whenever you see : ()()()()()()(()(())(), it means the point of view is changing. Also, I did some research and it turns out that even if a person is totally blind, they will still be able to see random lights and colors, those lights and colors just don't correspond to what is actually in front of them. But for the purpose of this story, total blindness will mean that all the person will be able to see is darkness. No lights or colors, just a black void. To clear things up, 'Macho' means 'vigilant' in swahili. And the name is pronounced 'maco' don't pronounce the ch sound.**

 **Anyways, on with the fanfic!**

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 **Shenzi's POV**

Shenzi's eyes widened, and her fur bristled. What was Ahadi doing here? He wasn't supposed to show up until later! This wasn't how it happened in reality! Maybe Ed had screwed up in this alteration.

Beside her, Taka whimpered from fear. She knew he was deathly afraid of his father, since he was always getting angry at him. But now, it seemed his anger had gone too far. Ahadi walked nonchalantly toward them, minus the bared teeth.

The problem was, that while this was only a dream, and dreams ended, she could still feel pain in a dream. Significant pain or death were automatic wake-ups, but it was a rather uncomfortable way to get up in the morning. And getting her muzzle torn of by a lion was pretty low on ways to reawaken.

"Ahadi! Leave this place at once!" Came a commanding voice from above them. Gasping with joy, Shenzi looked up and saw her mother standing atop an outcropping, looking down at them. And she wasn't alone. The crevice was lined with hyenas, all looking down at the scene below, eyes glinting in the moonlight.

"What.. Oh. Hatari…" Growled Ahadi, as he stopped his advance on the four of them. He surveyed the assembled hyenas with a snarl. Clearly, he didn't relish having to fight an entire clan.

"Didn't you hear me?" Demanded Hatari, the clan Matriarch, as she jumped down next to Shenzi.

"Oh no my dear Hatari, I heard you quite well. However, I do fear that you are in fact protecting someone whom it is my right dispose of." Responded Ahadi menacingly, as the rest of the hyenas also jumped down, and formed a protective line in front of their group.

"You'd kill your own son? That is rather low, even for one such as you." Said Hatari mockingly.

"Dad, just leave, won't you?" Interrupted Taka, pleading.

"Don't call me that, you _welp_. You are nothing but a runt, too weak to deserve to be my successor. Growled Ahadi.

"Leave me and my friends alone!" Yelled Taka, this time angrily.

"Oh, I see how it is. Now that you have the vile friends support, you can act tough, as if you could actually fight me." Ahadi snorted, as if the concept was laughable. "I've been in a lot of battles you runt, and I know that that scratch on your face is going to scar. And you know what? The scar will probably be pretty ugly! Fitting, isn't it?"

"Go Dad! Just go!" Screamed Taka, despite the blood now flowing into his mouth.

"Listen to your son you old fool. Get out of here, before we tear you apart." Said Hatari, also snarling.

"Fine then. Fine. I'm leaving, I suppose. See you all in hell one day!" He yelled, now sneering. Shenzi forced herself to relax. The danger was over. He was leaving. And yet, somehow, the dream felt incomplete. Wasn't there supposed to be something else?

"One Last thing to you my disgraced son." Called back Ahadi, as he strutted back into the gorge. Shenzi and Taka turned to face the retreating lion, now suddenly filled with apprehension.

" _Exile_." Sneered Ahadi, as an evil grin stretched across his face. Then he faced forward, and walked out of view.

"Ex- exile?" Stuttered Taka. "What? No, he, he can't do that!"

"Unfortunately, I suppose he can." Said Hatari, as she came up to Taka and licked of some of the blood covering his face. "Don't worry, you can stay with us, the hyenas. We'll protect you, and we won't throw you out." She soothed. Shenzi noticed her mom's mother instincts were kicking in.

"But-but, how am I supposed to see my mother again? Or my brother? They-they were the only ones that ever cared. Now, I'm not supposed to see them ever again?" Whimpered Taka.

"We'll be your friends Taka. And maybe sometime soon, we can sneak back into the Pridelands to say hello to your mom." Suggested Shenzi, doing her best to seem optimistic.

"Thank you guys.. I-I-you guys always were there for me." Sobbed Taka, looking very dejected.

"Now come on, we need to get you patched up." Commanded Hatari. "You'll bleed out if you don't seal that cut." With that, Taka was lead off by Shenzi's mother, over to the clan's current healer. Maumbu didn't take that position until after Shenzi became Matriarch.

"Do ya think he'll be alright?" Asked Banzai, as he stared off at Taka.

"He'll be fine, I'm sure." Replied Shenzi. He really would be. When this happened in reality, the healer had managed to stop the bleeding. He had a scar running down the length of his face, and over his eye. Over time, fur grew over most of it, but the area near his eye never fully healed.

"You two go ahead and watch Taka. I'll catch up in a moment." Ordered Shenzi to her two comrades. Banzai and Ed nodded, and they went to follow their friend.

Shenzi sat herself down as the last of the hyenas left the area. The encounter had gone more or less as it had gone in her life. Same result, nonetheless. She felt sorry for Taka. He had gone through a lot during his childhood. She didn't feel sorry for Scar though. Scar was an insane maniac, whom the hyenas should never have followed. In the end, it only served to deepen their bad rap as evil scavengers.

But it didn't matter much. Scar was dead now. Shenzi was rather sure of that. They hadn't been able to get to his throat or neck, but they had torn his skin off in multiple areas. He would die of blood loss, if nothing else. And the fire didn't much help his chances. All in all, Scar was almost certainly dead.

Shenzi sat there, and stared up at the stars. The clouds had gone away at this point, so there were shining up above. It was rather peaceful, all in all. Even if it was just supposed to be lions up there. Shenzi didn't buy that. She figured if there was room enough for the two of them down here, there was room enough up there.

The other sure fire way of waking up was falling asleep in a dream. So Shenzi laid down and closed her eyes, waiting for rest to come upon her.

Eventually, it did.

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Banzai's POV

Banzai was not feeling restful. At all. In fact, at this moment, he was sitting inside a washed up Elephant skull, crying his guts out. Earlier, his best friend, Shenzi, had been brutally thrown off a cliff by the king Simba. And now she was dead. As far as he knew, no hyenas had ever survived being mangled so horribly. He had spent a few minutes with her body, crying over it. Then, he had made her a promise, one he hoped she had heard, wherever she was. He had promised to save the clan, and keep them from starving.

But first he had to sit here and bawl until he ran out of tears.

Ed was sitting outside, for once no longer laughing or giggling. Banzai didn't think Ed was physically capable of doing something as sad as crying, but he still whimpered a lot instead. He hadn't yet told Macho or Fahama about Shenzi yet, but he would return to them soon after this. He hoped they wouldn't take it as badly as he was.

After another hour of painful sobbing, Banzai stumbled out of the skull to go get Ed. He had to get back to his clan if he was going to keep his promise the Shenzi.

"Hey…. Hey Ed." Said Banzai solemnly. Ed looked at him sadly and whimpered. "Well then…. Come on"

Ed fell in line behind Banzai as he slowly walked alongside the riverbank. Doing his best to put any thoughts of Shenzi out of his mind, he stared down at the little rocks and pebbles below his paws. He sighed, and pushed the tears back. It was now morning, with the sun peaking out from the horizon. But the sun's warmth didn't seem to warm Banzai.

The world was so much colder now.

Choking back yet another sob, Banzai continued down the river. Ed stayed quiet for the most part, only letting out a few soft giggles. Banzai went straight for the former hyenas encampment. It would have been the first place the hyenas would go to to retreat from the lionesses that almost certainly chased Maumbu.

Another half hour of walking brought him into view of the hyenas. As predicted, they were next to the river, by their former home. They were milling around, and sentries stood at the edges. One of them spotted Banzai and Ed, and Banzai saw the sentry run back into the group, probably to go get Macho or Fahama.

He saw a few of them call out to him, sounding happy at his arrival. He supposed it was good news for them. They would think differently in a few minutes.

Macho, Fahama, Maumbu, and a few other hyenas ran out to greet him. They were grinning, that much Banzai could tell, even from a distance. They were grinning! As if life was a happy place! Banzai would correct them on that.

He didn't increase his pace at all, and kept his gaze on the rocks below him. Eventually, the group made it to him and Ed.

"Banzai! You're here! You made it!" Said Maumbu, as he came to a stop. Banzai didn't answer.

"Hey Banzai, It's good to see you! You got away from the lions!" Added Fahama, still optimistic. Still, Banzai stayed silent, staring at the ground. Macho noticed his dejected attitude.

"What's wrong Banzai?" Asked Macho, eyebrow cocked. Just then, Maumbu put two and two together.

"Uhhhh… Banzai? Where's Shenzi?" He asked, sounding fearful suddenly. Banzai just looked up at Maumbu, and sighed. Maumbu's eye's widend.

"Banzai…. Where's Shenzi!" He asked again, his voice urgent. At that moment, something inside Banzai snapped, and another part of grief showed itself.

"She's dead Maumbu! She's dead!" He snarled. Maumbu seemed taken aback, and stopped talking, processing what was just heard.

"What? What did you say?" Gasped Macho and Fahama simultaneously.

"Didn't you hear me the first time?! I said she's dead! As dead as they come! Deader than a week old wildebeest carcass! That's what I said!" He yelled, his face contorting into rage.

"Dead?..."

"Dead! Simba knocked her right of Pride Rock! I found her broken, mangled body at the foot of that blasted mountain! And believe me, I did my best in order to prevent it! I just…. I wasn't fast enough,,,,," and with that, Banzai broke back down into sobs. He couldn't take it! It was all too much!

"Oh no….. That's…. This is horrible! Gasped Fahama.

"Yeah… Yeah… Well… No shit." Choked out Banzai.

"What do we do now?" Said Maumbu, sounding very far away.

"We're screwed." Replied Macho, eyes wide.

"Completely, totally screwed." He finished.

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Kovu's POV

"Come quick Kovu, She's waking up!" Called Kiara. Kovu got up from his branch as the sun shone through the leaves. It was morning, and he had just gotten a good night's sleep. However, before he did his normal stretches, he figured he better get to Kiara first.

Trotting through the tree, Kovu arrived at the patient. Rafiki and Kiara were crowding around Shenzi, leaving ample room for him to squeeze into. He managed it however, and got to see Shenzi.

In front of him, he saw Shenzi grunt, and open her eyes. She yawned,and suddenly seemed to become alert.

"Where am I?" She asked.

"You're in Rafiki's tree. After your tumble, we brought you here, so Rafiki could heal you." Responded Kiara.

"And a good ting too, yoo weh gravely ijnjured!" Added Rafiki.

"Gravely injured? What do you mean? Where's Banzai?" Asked Shenzi urgently. Then, she tried to stand up, and fell back down. "What the…" Said Shenzi.

"Well, two of your legs are broken, Shenzi. And there's something else…" Kiara gulped, seemingly unsure how to continue. Shenzi raised her left foreleg, which was now in a sort of brace. Two sticks held together by some small vines. She examined it by pawing at it with her other foreleg. Then she put it back down.

"What else?" Asked Shenzi, eyebrow cocked.

"You broke your back partially. Rafiki did what he could, but tell me, do you feel anything in your hind legs?" Asked Kovu.

"My hind legs?" Said Shenzi, who then turned back to her rump. She tried to move them, and, amazingly, her unbroken leg moved! However, the broken one remained resolutely still.

"I can't move the the right one! Its….. Stuck or something!" Exclaimed Shenzi.

"I don't think it's because of the cast,,," said Rafiki.

"No, really! I can't get it to move! Why won't it move!" Panicked Shenzi.

"Well meh dear, I am afraid dat leg weel neva move again. Yoo see, yor back ees, partialee broken. I was able to save da nerves on da left side, but not da right it seems…" Said Rafiki.

"Wait, wait, wait. Hold up. Stop right there, don't move." Said Shenzi, suddenly in a falsely cheerful mood.

"So what you guys are telling me, is that my right hind leg, albeit broken somewhat, is never going to work again! That's what this is about?" Said Shenzi, grinning. That smile made Kovu uncomfortable.

"I take your silence as a yes! Wonderful! Isn't that just great! I mean, one more thing I can add to my list of misery! Yeah, I got a list all right!" With that, Shenzi let out a trademark hyena laugh, chilling Kovu. He didn't like where this was going.

"Here's the first bit ya'll, this one cracks me up! Yeah, first one the list is that, for the past three years, us hyenas have been starving! Ain't that just great! Another good one is that my childhood friend turned into an insane psycho! You all remember Scar, right? Yeah, well he started out well enough, but I guess true colors show themselves eventually! Life lessons for you all!" She grinned incessantly again, and started to cackle.

"Added to that list is just recently, I got blinded! And now, I broke my back! It's just so effing hilarious! Come on guys! Can't you all laugh at a good joke? I knew we hyenas can! Heck, it's all we _ever_ do! According to you mangy lions anyhow!" Shenzi laughed again, and hit the ground with her paw, now starting to really act amused. "Oh, it hurts to laugh so hard… But… It's… Just…. Too funny!" She chortled, and started to cry from her mirth.

"Calm down Shenzi, calm down, listen, I know it sucks,,,, but calm down." Said Kiara, looking worried.

"Calm down, calm down… That's great! Really, really,,,," but Shenzi went no further, as she broke back down into another lapse of giggles.

"How about we just give her some space guys?" Suggested Kovu. He figured Shenzi needed it.

"Right…. Right. Come on then." Said Kiara, as she trotted back out of the tree's central hollow. Kovu and Rafiki followed, Shenzi's stress induced merriment still sounding behind them.

Well, at least it would pass soon.

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 **Another chapter up! The conclusion the Shenzi's dream, Banzai's breakdown, and Shenzi's breakdown, all in one. Don't worry, neither of them are going insane. Ill keep them in character. They are just coping with stress and sadness. By next chapter, they'll be fine. No worries. Well, it's a fanfiction crime to be following a story but not review! Constructive criticism accepted. No Flaming!**


	19. Levity and final exodus

**I got this idea from a story called 'A Light for everyone' by Alex Draco. The beginning of this story is similar to the beginning of his. However, my story goes in a bit of a different direction. But it was inspired by that story! You should go check it out, it's very well written in my opinion. One more thing. I am using some of Tearthgrrl OC's, just because they really add to the story. Tearthgrrl hasn't added anything to her profile for three years now, so I figured it would be okay to use some of her OC's. But credit where it's due!**

 **Tearthgrrl OC's:**

 **Maumbu- Ed's big brother, a healer, sort of like Rafiki.**

 **Hasina- Maumbu's mate**

 **By the way, whenever you see : ()()()()()()(()(())(), it means the point of view is changing. Also, I did some research and it turns out that even if a person is totally blind, they will still be able to see random lights and colors, those lights and colors just don't correspond to what is actually in front of them. But for the purpose of this story, total blindness will mean that all the person will be able to see is darkness. No lights or colors, just a black void. To clear things up, 'Macho' means 'vigilant' in swahili. And the name is pronounced 'maco' don't pronounce the ch sound. .**

 **Anyways, on with the fanfic**!

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 **Kiara's POV**

It didn't pass soon.

Half an hour later, Kiara and Kovu sat out on of the the tree's branches, listening to Shenzi continue her mirth.

"Gah! Why won't she stop laughing! Hyena laughs are rather creepy you know!" Complained Kovu, with his paws over his ears

"It's called trauma Kovu. This is just her way of dealing with it." Replied Kiara, albeit also agitated somewhat. Just then, Shenzi yelled out.

"Hey! Anyone got a… Heh heh... cub sandwich lion around? Cause I sure could use one!" With her bad joke accompanied by more raucous laughter, Kiara had to admit this was getting really annoying.

"You know, I think I know why a hyena's laugh is creepy." Muttered Kiara.

"I heard you Kiara! Don't worry, just roll with it! I mean, how else are you supposed to distract yourself from the shit of the world? By finding it funny! You should try laughing sometime! They say it's the,,,,, best medicine! Ain't that swell?" Shenzi's levity was certainly creeping Kiara out. How could a creature act so happy, when so clearly in pain? Kiara knew it was artificial, but even so, still creepy.

"How about we give her another hour?" Suggested Kiara, as she got up and went to march down the tree.

"Good idea." Responded Kovu, as he fell in line behind Kiara.

"Hey Kovu! You know what I just realized? You're Simba's successor… Which means you're a king, fit for a meal!" Shenzi burst out in more hysterics, the laugh permeating the tree again. Kovu and Kiara hopped down, eager to get away for a few moments.

Once down on the ground again, Kiara eagerly knead her claws into the dirt. She preferred the grass over that tree anyway. The tree was stuffy, being down here was more open.

"Where do you want to go then, Kovu?" Asked Kiara to her mate.

"Actually, I was hungry. You want to go hunting?" Replied Kovu, as he gazed out at the savannah.

"Sure, I guess I'm a bit hungry too." Responded Kiara. Together, they walked off into the savannah, keeping an eye out for any animals they could snag.

"Hey! Over there!" Said Kovu, as he raised his forepaw and pointed over at a herd of gazelle.

"Sweet!" Added Kiara. Gazelle was her favorite! The meat was soft and supple, and was very lovely tasting. Eating some of those would certainly brighten her day.

They crept toward the oblivious herd, who were munching away on the grass peacefully. They stayed low, bellies to the ground, and upwind. The scent of some lions would surely scare of the delicious bounties. Closer and closer, until they were only a few feet away from one of the beasts.

Carefully, and with years of training, Kovu knew exactly how to pounce. He launched himself with his hind legs, and raised his forelegs, claws extended. The poor animal didn't even know what had hit it until Kiara saw Kovu kill it with one quick bite at the neck, snapping it. The rest of the herd bolted, fearing for their lives. Pretty soon, it was just the two of them and the carcass.

"Pretty expertly done, wouldn't ya say?" Bragged Kovu.

"Whatever. Just don't get a big head, cause I'll be there to remind you who's faster."

Reprimanded Kiara.

"Ehhh whatever. The important thing here is that I killed it. Isn't gazelle your favorite anyhow?" Asked Kovu, with that annoying grin of his gracing his face.

"Yeah, I suppose it is." Replied Kiara, as she took a bite of the nutritious meat. Mmmm! Delicious.

"Let me have some!" Said Kovu, as he sidled up to Kiara and started to eat as well. Pretty soon, they had stripped it of the meat, exposing the bones beneath. A grisly sight, to be sure, but nothing to a lion.

"Well, that tasted pretty good, wouldn't you say?" Said Kovu, as he finished up his meal.

"Indeed." Responded Kiara, as she wiped her mouth. They sat together, and watched the sun continue its journey toward the center of the sky. It was too bright to view directly, but still could be seen with stolen glances.

"Well then, let's head back and see how Shenzi is doing." Said Kiara. An hour had most certainly passed at this point.

"Okay then. I hope she's done with that creepy laugh though. It's gonna give me nightmares!" Replied Kovu, eyebrow cocked.

"Don't think about it then." Suggested Kiara.

"Well sure, but the first thing I do when I lie down is 'how peaceful this all is'. And then, I think, 'good thing there isn't anything to cause it to be not peaceful'. And after that, I think,' what could it possibly be that could make this not peaceful?' And then I think of something creepy, and the night is no longer peaceful!" Complained Kovu.

"That's your problem, not mine!" Teased Kiara, as she bounded back toward the giant tree. Pretty soon, they reached the foot of the tree and clawed their way to the back to the top.

"Hey Rafiki, where's Shenzi?" Asked Kiara, when she saw Shenzi wasn't where they had left her.

"She's ova dere, on one of dee branches." Pointed Rafiki, as he fiddled with some red liquids.

"Thank you!" Replied Kiara. She walked over to the hyena, jumping from branch to branch, leaving Kovu behind with the shaman.

"Hi Shenzi! Feeling better?" She asked cheerfully, when she found the hyena. Shenzi was lying on her side, her two broken legs stretched out in front of her. Her two working legs were curled up against her body.

"Oh. Hi Kiara." Grunted Shenzi in a monotone. When Shenzi didn't continue, Kiara pressed again.

"So then, why are you sitting out here?" She asked.

"To feel the wind in my fur. After losing sight, you really start to appreciate things like touch and scent. Taste doesn't really count. Hearing is important too." Replied the hyena.

"You're just here for the wind?"

"Pretty much."

"You enjoy it?" Asked Kiara.

"Yeah. One of my favorite activities used to be running through the grass as fast as I could across the savannah. You can't really do something like that in the Graveyard. Of course, you lions keep us shut out of the Pridelands." Replied Shenzi, rather disgruntled.

"I'm sorry about Simba, Shenzi." Blurted Kiara.

"I don't think it was your fault. You've helped me before. Simba on the other paw…. I've never done anything but hurt him. Trying to talk to him was an incredibly last-ditch effort. I guess I shouldn't be surprised it didn't work." Said Shenzi sullenly.

"Even so, you hyenas deserve more than you're getting." Responded Kiara.

"Don't I know it." Replied the hyena. "Listen Kiara, I've got to get back to my clan, if they don't have my guidance, they are lost. They won't know what to do. And if they don't know what to do, the lions will get them eventually. We don't have hardly any fighters left. Most of them were killed in the flooding. I need to get back to them, as quickly as I can."

"But Shenzi… You haven't healed yet…" Stuttered Kiara.

"I know I haven't healed yet! I know that better than anybody! But for bones to fix themselves, it takes months, and my right hind leg will _never_ work again. I suppose I got lucky it was only the right, but even so, it still sucks. But even if I have to trot around on three legs for the rest of my flea-bitten existence, I'm still going to do everything I can to protect my clan. They are the world to me!" Said Shenzi.

Then, she muttered something else underneath her breath, something Kiara only barely caught….

"Especially Banzai."

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 **Banzai's POV**

Banzai, Macho, Fahama, and Ed were assembled in a circle a few hundred yards from the main hyena encampment. Maumbu was back at the camp, still working with a few patients. And while Ed technically was part of this, he just sat there giggled in the background.

But the three of them had a decision to make.

A rather important one, for it would determine what they had to do next. But none of them looked very engaged in the proceedings. Macho had a hardened expression on his face, and he stared down at the ground, silent. Fahama had a far away look in her eyes, and she resoulutley stared up at the sky, silent as well. Banzai was pawing at the ground, still doing his best to keep from crying.

None of the, wanted to be here.

If it was up to Banzai, he would tell the rest of the clan to go to hell for all he cared, and do what they wanted. Every hyena for himself. But it wasn't up to him. He had made a promise to Shenzi, and he would keep it. And to do that, he had to stick with the clan, and protect them at all costs. Once he had secured a future for everyone, he would begin his own personal quest for revenge. Killing Simba, once and for all.

But this meeting came first.

"Well then….. I guess we all know why we're here." Said Fahama with a gulp, interrupting the silence.

"Yes. Indeed we do." Replied Macho as he sat back up, at attention, expression remaining hard.

"I suppose so." Said Banzai, as he still pawed at the ground, busying himself by digging a small hole.

"Okay then… Shall we proceed?" Prodded Fahama, keeping her voice quiet.

"Uh huh." Replied Banzai. Next to him, Ed let out a giggle.

"Anyone want to start?" She added. Neither Macho nor Banzai moved a muscle. "I guess I will start….. First order of business, the lions."

"Huh! _Lions_ …." Snarled Banzai, his expression souring.

"I mean, eventually they're going to find us. We need to decide what we're going to when that happens." Said Fahama, looking at her two comrades.

"How many fighters do we have left?" Asked Macho, gesturing at Fahama.

"Not counting us? Five. Only five hunters actually made it through the flood. The rest is mothers and pups. And the grand total of everyone left is 36. From the original number of 54." Interjected Banzai before Fahama could answer. And his cynical attitude wasn't lost on the other two.

"Banzai,,,, I know things aren't going well for us right now but,,, we'll make it through. We _have_ to." Replied Fahama.

"Fahama's right. But we're here to discuss how exactly we're going to go about surviving. So now, any ideas about what to do should the lions find us?" Said Macho, as he started to shake off his depressed attitude.

"What to do if lions find us? Well, we can't fight, that's for sure. The only other option is to run as fast as we can go. There's a chance some of us would escape that way. But more importantly, we should be talking about how to avoid them even finding us in the first place. Better safe than sorry." Replied Banzai, still keeping his gaze on the ground.

"How are we supposed to do that?" Asked Fahama. Ed let out a laugh that Banzai could have sworn sounded sarcastic. He couldn't be sure though. But he did have an answer for Fahama.

"Two options. One, we hide right now. Find a small crevice or similar escarpment, and gather in there. Option number two, we leave. Leave the Pridelands. Forever. And never return." Suggested Banzai boldly.

"How are we supposed to leave the Pridelands Banzai? We don't know what's outside of it. All we do know is that it's inhospitable desert for miles around. We'd probably starve, or die from heat!" Replied Macho, opposed to the idea.

"Then we starve in the desert! It would be better than being torn apart by lions! The desert ends eventually, we know that. If we do manage to cross it, we would be free! Free forever from the lions! Free forever from hunger, and free forever from hardship. If I'm going to die, it's going to be in an effort to get everyone to a place like that!" Snarled Banzai, not holding back his emotions.

"But….but, it would be madness!" Replied Macho, still revolted.

"No, actually, I think that sounds like our best bet." Said Fahama, hesitantly.

"See? Fahama agrees with me." Said Banzai.

"We would die, alone, without food and water, in the middle of a barren desert." Asserted Macho.

"But if we stay here, the lions will feast upon our entrails! What do you want Macho, to die in a bid for freedom, or have our enemies defeat us! I vote for the one with the slim chance of hope! Come on Macho, you're supposed to be the one loyal to the clan! The one who would do anything for it! What happened to that!" Yelled Banzai angrily.

"What happened to that! What happened… Banzai, you know damn well what happened. I was loyal to the Matriarch. And now….. There isn't a Matriarch. I'm lost, plain and simple. Who do I follow?" Asked Macho, suddenly no longer angry. Just sad, like Banzai was.

However, Banzai felt no such loss of his anger. The death of Shenzi stilled wieghed heavily upon his heart. And Macho had just reminded him of it.

"Who do you follow! I'll to you who to follow! Follow us! Macho, we three are the senior officers that Shenzi herself appointed. The second in commands! We can't afford to get lost. And now, I'm going to solve another one of our problems! We need another Matriarch, and we need her now. So then, if you agree with me, come on. I'm going to march back to camp, and select one female for the job. So unless you two don't want a say in the selection, stay here." Snarled Banzai. With that, he spun on his heel, and began to walk back for the hyena encampment. Behind him, he heard Macho, Fahama, and Ed trotting behind him in silence.

When he arrived at the group of hyenas with his comrades, he steeled himself for what he was about to do. The actual choosing of a Matriarch was unprecedented, it was always hereditary. But the previous one always trained the offspring correctly, so they were always suited for the job. There were no qualms about such things, but now, a Matriarch had to be chosen, and it had to be a good one. Lest the clan was doomed by poor leadership.

"Listen up everyone!" He called. The majority of the clan was silent anyway, grieving the death of their leader. So when a shout pervaded the air, they all turned to listen.

"Here's the deal! As of a half hour from now, we are leaving the Pridelands, in an effort to cross the desert to the area beyond. Should we be successful, we would be rid of the lions forever! However, before such a task can be undertook, we need to chose a new Matriarch! So any females who feel themselves up for the job step up this instant! You have thirty seconds!" Shouted Banzai.

There was a rustle of movement, and four females came up to stand before Banzai. He knew all four of them of course, in a clan of 54, you get to know people. Then, Fahama came up and stood along with them, creating a total of five candidates. To his dismay, Mabaya was one of them.

"Good. Now, we're going to settle all this the old fashioned way. A tournament! You five will fight, and the strongest and smartest will undoubtedly win out. Dirty tricks and other subterfuge are perfectly legal. Now, the first battle will be between you two!" Banzai then gestured at two of the hopefuls. The two he chose looked at eachother, and cocked their eyebrows.

At Banzai's behest, they marched over to an open spot, and took offensive stances. Macho came up next to them, and began his countdown. When He reached reached zero, they leaped at each other, hacking and slashing into the other's fur. Eventually, the winner was declared. Now they were down to four candidates.

The next fight was between Mabaya and another strong-willed female called Nyeusu. Unfortunately, Mabaya threw dirt in Nyeusu's eyes, and bit her hard on the neck. Not enough to break it, but enough to force submission.

With three candidates, the fight was now between Fahama and a hyena called Konda. Konda struck first, and slashed Fahama across the muzzle. Fahama grabbed the paw, and pulled the hyenas toward her, then slammed it into a rock protruding out from the ground. A K.O., If ever Banzai had seen one. And he had seen plenty.

Now, it was just Fahama and Mabaya. Banzai dearly hoped Fahama would win out, but it seemed to be an equal match. Both hyenas were smart and crafty, and both were of a smaller stature. Hopefully Fahama's experience would win out.

Firstly, the two circled each other, snarling. They were both still catching their breath from previous fights, so neither wanted to start just yet. Yet, after a few minutes, Fahama lashed out with her forelegs, claws extended. Mabaya jumped back, avoiding the attack.

Then, in a reckless move, Mabaya jumped forward, clearly hoping to catch Fahama off gaurd. It worked, and Fahama was bowled over and onto her back. Now, her stomach was exposed, a weak spot.

Mabaya took full advantage of her position, and began trying to claw at her foes stomach. Fahama rolled over, throwing of her assailant. Before Mabaya could recover, Fahama jumped on her, and the two began to roll around, clawing and biting as much as they could. It was the most ferocious fight yet, since the position of Matriarch gleamed the closest for these two.

Then, a shriek of pain echoed from Mabaya, and she went limp. Fahama stood over her vanquished foe, bleeding, but proud nonetheless. Mabaya slunk away, in defeat. Good thing too. A brat in the position of Matriarch would have been a disaster.

"Good job Fahama!" Congratulated Banzai. At least one of his friends had snagged the honor.

"Thank you, it was rather tough, wasn't it?"

"Well…. I guess now you're the Matriarch." Stated Banzai.

"Oh,,... Right. What do I do now?" Asked Fahama. Macho came up to them and offered an answer.

"Now, you give a small speech. And then….. We attempt the impossible."

"Too right. Well, go on Fahama." Prodded Banzai.

"Okay. Ahem! Listen up everyone!" She called. "Now, I want you all to be assembled and ready to leave in two minutes! We're going to be crossing the desert, so get a drink of water first! And no dilly dallying!" With her words, the hyenas broke up and headed off to obey. Pretty soon, everyone was assembled. Even Mabaya, who sat in the back silently cursing her bad luck.

"Come on then! Follow me!" Yelled Fahama, as she turned around and headed off for the border. As they moved, Banzai drifted toward the back of the pack. When they reached the desert, Banzai counted the steps until he reached the official border. He sat down, and looked back at all of the Pridelands.

All of that was lion territory. The home of the eternal enemy. Banzai sneered. One day, he would come back here for unfinished business. One day, he would return to kill Simba. But first, his promise to Shenzi. He would honor her, no matter what.

He stared down at his feet and looked back one last time. Then, he spat on the ground, an act of cursing the ones he hated. He turned back around, and stared out across the mirage.

Now, it truly was the time for the impossible.

He hoped they could cross alive.

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 **And, there ya go. Another chapter. Just as Shenzi goes back to return to her clanmates, they leave without her! Poor Banzai! And poor Shenzi! How will it all be resolved! Don't worry, this story has like, one more chapter. Be sure to be there for that one! Review if you liked**!


	20. The End

I got this idea from a story called 'A Light for everyone' by Alex Draco. The beginning of this story is similar to the beginning of his. However, my story goes in a bit of a different direction. But it was inspired by that story! You should go check it out, it's very well written in my opinion. One more thing. I am using some of Tearthgrrl OC's, just because they really add to the story. Tearthgrrl hasn't added anything to her profile for three years now, so I figured it would be okay to use some of her OC's. But credit where it's due!

Tearthgrrl OC's:

Maumbu- Ed's big brother, a healer, sort of like Rafiki.

Hasina- Maumbu's mate

By the way, whenever you see : ()()()()()()(()(())(), it means the point of view is changing. Also, I did some research and it turns out that even if a person is totally blind, they will still be able to see random lights and colors, those lights and colors just don't correspond to what is actually in front of them. But for the purpose of this story, total blindness will mean that all the person will be able to see is darkness. No lights or colors, just a black void. To clear things up, 'Macho' means 'vigilant' in swahili. And the name is pronounced 'maco' don't pronounce the ch sound.

Anyways, on with the fanfic!

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Banzai's POV

Banzai took his first step into the desert. There was no going back now. If he succeeded, he would have kept his promise to Shenzi. To fail meant to renege on it. And he couldn't let himself fail.

As he took yet another step farther from the hated Pridelands, a familiar scent entered his nostrils. He breathed it in, then froze. He glanced back, and his eyes widened, his fur bristled.

"Oh shit! Shit shit shit shit shit!" Cried Banzai. A few hyenas took notice of his outburst, and turned back to look. They too froze in fear.

"No! Why now! Why now! We were so close! So close! And he shows up now!" Yelled Banzai in frustration.

For just behind them, a few hills back, was a squad of lions, running toward them, teeth bared.

And one of them was Simba.

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Kovu's POV

Kovu was in front, leading the way. Shenzi was right behind him, doing her best to hop along on what legs she had available. She was leaning onto Kiara, who acted as a crutch.

It was now late afternoon. They had bid Rafiki farewell a few hours ago, and were now making slow progress across the savannah.

The first place they were going to check for the hyenas was the flood encampment. Shenzi said that it was the most likely place the hyenas would flee to, since it was closest to their former home. Currently, they were discussing what they would actually do when they got there.

Giving the fact that it was extremely unlikely that they could try appealing to Simba again, they were brainstorming ideas.

"What if you guys just lived in the outlands? Zira's lionesses managed it." Suggested Kiara.

"Ugh, don't remind me about Zira." Replied Shenzi, spitting out the name.

"Why not? Weren't both you and her allies with Scar?" Asked Kovu, curious.

"During the old tyrants reign, Zira was a pompous fool. And after we killed Scar, it was she that slew most of us that fled back to the Graveyard. She nearly got me too at one point. She had me pinned on my back, and she was blathering something about how I was responsible for Scar's death. Which I suppose I was. At least she gave us credit for the deed. Anyways, I escaped when Banzai and Ed clawed her in the rump. After that, we made it into the caves, safe and sound. Only to find, of course, that there were only sixty three of us left. Eventually, hunger drove that number down to fifty four. And then the flood. Whoop de doo. At least I had the satisfaction of revenge on Scar for his broken promises." Finished Shenzi sarcastically.

"I see. Wow, nobody likes Scar at all. I guess I was lucky to never have met him." Replied Kiara, thoughtfully.

"I only ever saw him a few times as a cub. So… I never really knew him either." Added Kovu.

"Well he was a maniac, through and through. Completely insane, focusing on nothing but himself, and what he wanted. In fact there was this one time where he…. Actually, nevermind. I told myself I would forget about it. But anyways, the point is that he was crazy."

"That's what Simba told me." Said Kovu, glancing back at the pair.

"Well, he told you right. He wasn't always nuts though. There was a time when he was Taka, and he was my friend. He was a lot different back then." Asserted Shenzi.

"Different in what way?" Asked Kiara.

"Well, when I first met him, he was just a cub, who had gotten stuck in a hole. I helped him out, and soon after, we became friends. He used to sneak away every day to come visit me, Banzai, and Ed. We used to have a lot of fun together." Said Shenzi reminiscing.

"Well, none of us start out evil." Replied Kiara.

"Yeah well, that's just it. As time went on, his father made it clear to him that he favored his older brother, Mufasa. Eventually, even Muffy gave him a bit of a cold shoulder, but only because he was egged on by Ahadi to do so. Taka became lonely, and he spent more and more time with us. He only ever told his mother about what he did when he was away from Pride Rock, and she kept it secret. A year or two went by, and we became adolescents. Taka was still a good lion, although he told us that he hated how he was being treated" said Shenzi, deep in thought.

Kovu had never actually been told about Scar's childhood. It was interesting to hear an objective account, not one made by a lioness who had lived grueling lives underneath the tyrant. Shenzi continued talking.

"Then, one day, he ran into the Graveyard, pursued by his father. You see, Ahadi had grown suspicious of his visits outside of the Pridelands, and asked Uru, Taka's mother, of his whereabouts. When she refused, he grew even more suspicious. So he told Mufasa to follow Taka, wherever he went. When Taka visited us, Mufasa saw him, and told his dad everything. So when Taka went back to Pride Rock, his dad confronted him about it, and he got really angry. He ended up slashing Taka across the eye, covering the whole left side of his face with blood. Incidentally, that's how Scar got his scar. But he didn't change his name until later."

"Wait, his own dad gave him his scar? That's horrendous!" Exclaimed Kiara.

"Indeed it was. Ahadi wasn't exactly a caring sort of father towards Taka." Replied Shenzi.

"Yeah… I would have hated to have a dad like Ahadi." Added Kovu.

"Parental advice aside, the point is that after Ahadi slashed him like that, Ahadi grew even angrier for some reason. And so Taka ran to the one place he had ever felt safe, to us, his friends. Ahadi chased him, and eventually, he cornered him in the Elephant Graveyard. Me, Banzai, and Ed came along at just that moment, and we distracted Ahadi so Taka could escape. We ran to my mom, and she and the rest of the clan protected us from the vengeful king. Furious that he couldn't get to Taka, he exiled him from the Pridelands. Of course, Mufasa let him back in years later, but the time made Taka bitter. He grew to hate Mufasa for snitching on him, and I suppose that's partially why he felt justified in his actions later on. Anyhow, Taka really started off as a good cub. But by the time he became Scar, he was driven insane from thoughts of jealousy, anger, and vengeance." With that, Shenzi finished her account.

"That's quite the story." Commented Kovu. "I've never heard it that way before."

"That's because I'm one of the few who know it that way. Everyone else seems to have….. forgotten the good side of Scar."

"It's sort of a shame, that no one will acknowledge that part of him that wasn't evil." Thought Kiara.

"At this point, it's just that no one remembers that part of him. After all, it has been awhile." Replied Shenzi.

"Indeed it has." Said Kovu, as they continued across the grass. The sun was still out, beating down onto the plains. There was a not a lot of commotion during midday. Most animals tended to be near the water hole around this time.

Unfortunately, they themselves couldn't. It was imperative that they found Shenzi's clan as fast as they could. Without a Matriarch, Shenzi had warned that chaos would soon ensue. Apparently, strong leaders were vital in hyena society. And Shenzi didn't think that anyone would step up to fill that role.

So, as it went, they arrived at the river, next to the encampment. But there were no hyenas anywhere.

"Well, we're here…. But no one else is." Proclaimed Kovu.

"You're sure this is the spot where we camped after the flood?" Asked Shenzi, as she herself couldn't check.

"It look like the spot to me." Affirmed Kiara, as she too looked around the area.

"But…. No one's here." Summarized Kovu.

"Blast it! Where else could they have gone?" Wondered Shenzi, deep in thought.

"Is there any other spot the hyenas might have gone off to?" Asked Kiara, whilst looking back at Shenzi.

"No…. There really isn't. We hyenas haven't been out of the Graveyard for years so... I can't think of another spot they could have considered safe enough to flee too." Responded Shenzi, frustrated.

"What about before your banishment? Other than Pride Rock, did you guys hang out anywhere else?" Asked Kiara again.

"No, we stayed around Pride Rock. That's where the food was at." Responded Shenzi, as she pawed at the ground impatiently.

"You two keep thinking about where they might have gone. I'm going to search this area for any sign that the hyenas might have initially been here." Suggested Kovu. Maybe the hyenas had been here at one point, but had left in favor of another location. If that was true, there had to be pawprints.

"Good idea. You go do that Kovu." Affirmed Kiara, as she nodded in his direction. Kovu turned around and marched over to old encampment, while Shenzi and Kiara kept talking in the background.

He stared down at the ground, and saw paw impressions in the ground. These one looked at least a day old however. For his theory to be correct, the pawprints had to be only a few hours old. He searched the area, keeping his eyes peeled for newer signs.

Here! Here was a newer impression! This hyena print seemed very, very recent! And there were a lot more of them! Here, was an entire pack's worth of pawprints, all leading in a different direction than towards the heart of the Pridelands. This had to be it!

He ran back to his comrades, excited with the news.

"Hey guys! I found recent pawprints! I think everyone went down that way!" Exclaimed Kovu, as he gestured in the respective direction.

"They went that way? Why did they snake around the Graveyard? There's nothing that way but desert!" Replied Kiara.

"Desert? Why would they go towards the desert? That's the last place I would go! I knew they needed my leadership!" Exclaimed Shenzi, disgruntled.

"Hey, don't claw the messenger. How about we just follow the pawprints? They're sure to lead us straight to them!" Responded Kovu, now excited.

"If it's really their pawprints, we can't ignore them. Let's go then, we better hurry if we are to catch up to the pack." Demanded Shenzi. Kovu noticed how easily Shenzi was talking, even when surrounded by lions she couldn't even see. Who would have thought that could have happened?

"Right. Follow me then." Said Kovu, as he turned back around, and set of on the pawprints trail.

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Banzai's POV

Banzai whipped around to face the horror struck hyenas. He had to shake them out of it!

"Well? What are you all waiting for?! Run!" Yelled Banzai. At his words, the hyenas seemed to finally absorb exactly who they had on their tail. Each and every one of them swing back about, and kicked up sand in their haste to pick up speed.

Banzai joined them, and began to sprint further into the desert. It was now a race. If they got far enough away into the barren sand, Simba would probably give up, thinking he had won. But if Simba caught up with them, it would be a massacre. The lions wouldn't give any quarter, and everything he and Shenzi had ever fought for would be lost.

Damned lions! Of course they had to find them now! Now, right when they were leaving the blasted Pridelands for good! The worst part was, if this was to be a footrace, the lions had the advantage in every way. The hyenas were naturally slower, being smaller than the lions. And these lions were well fed, unlike the hyenas, who hadn't eaten for the past day.

Sprinting like this would only tire them out faster. Then, if it did come down to a fight, the hyenas would be even further down the advantage line. Either way, Banzai didn't see an easy way out of this situation.

He ran up next to Macho, as they continued their all or nothing sprint. Then, he glanced back, and saw that the lions were noticeably closer by now. At this rate, they would be on them in less than a minute!

"Macho! They're gaining!" He yelled through gritted teeth.

"I realize that Banzai! Give me minute, I'm trying to think of something!" He replied quickly.

Banzai looked back again, and Simba was even closer! Time was running out!

"Okay! When we cross that dune, those of us who can fight will turn around and slow them down! Tell the others!" Replied Macho, as he flitted his ears to the mound of sand ahead of them."

"Got it!" Replied Banzai. Well, it was a suicidal plan, but hopefully it would give those of them with pups the ability to escape. Banzai maneuvered himself around the pack, relaying Macho's plan.

When they reached the crest of the sand dune, Banzai, Macho, Fahama, Ed, and eleven others whipped back around, and dug their hind legs into the sand. Banzai glanced to his sides. The line, including the ones he had already mentioned, totalled only of five females and twelve males. Drat. Females we physically tougher than males, therefore they were the dominant gender in hyenas society. It would have been better if they had more in their defensive stand.

Simba and his lionesses barely even slowed as they approached. Banzai unsheathed his claws and bared his teeth. Even if he was slain, this was his best chance at revenge. If he killed Simba, he would finally have satisfaction of Shenzi's death.

He raised his right forepaw, and braced himself for the battle. He _would_ come out of this alive, no matter what.

"Okay everyone! Just slow them down! That's what this is for…. Brace yourselves!" Yelled Fahama. Then the lions reached them, and pounced.

Given to the fact that the hyenas were standing on top of a sand dune, they had the height advantage. So Banzai leaped forward, as high as he could. He managed to jump over a lionesses outstretched claws, and landed on it's back. Seizing his opportunity, he hacked and scratched as hard as he could before he was thrown off. He rolled down the dune, propelled by the force of the throw.

He quickly got back up to his feet, and just in time, because another lioness ran at him. Rather than meet the charge head on, Banzai turned tail and ran back up the dune toward Macho and the rest of the hyenas. Up here, he would be able to lose the lioness chasing him.

He slashed a lioness growling at Fahama as he ran by. The lioness howled, and turned to face Banzai. Fahama then ran up to her opponent, and scored a hit right across the muzzle. Banzai allowed himself a grin as he made his way around more tussles.

Just then, he felt a large weight slam into him. He and another hyena were tossed to their sides, as the hyena who was thrown into him struggled to get back up quickly. A brownish, cream colored lioness stood next to them, and took an offensive stance.

"Damned lion!" Cursed Banzai, snarling at his enemy. The hyena with him lined up next to Banzai and snarled as well. The lioness didn't seem fazed however, and simply returned the growl.

They slowly advanced toward the lioness, carefully keeping a watch on the enemy. From the corner of his eye, Banzai saw Macho slash at another lion, and he saw another hyena lying bloodied on the ground.

The lioness pounced suddenly, taking him and his comrade by surprise. They both reared up quickly, claws outstretched. The lioness slammed into them, and Banzai felt sharp claws penetrate the fur around his flanks. He was pinned onto his back, his vulnerable stomach exposed.

The other hyena had backed up quickly, and avoided the attack. Coming to Banzai's aid, he jumped onto the lioness, and tried to bite her neck. The lioness, being distracted, didn't notice until too late the Banzai had slipped free. He then proceeded to cut the chest area of his opponent, and the lioness howled from pain and retreated.

Now bleeding profusely down his sides, Banzai quick gave the two wounds a lick and turned his attention back to the fight. He slipped by two more duels, with sand being kicked up all around. Hyenas all over were growling and being slashed by the sharper claws of the lions.

But Banzai was looking for one lion in particular. And he had to find him quickly, or they were all doomed. If he could kill Simba, the rest of the lionesses would undoubtedly rout. If he couldn't, all of his comrades would be massacred. The hyenas were fighting a losing battle, and in a few minutes, that battle would turn into crushing defeat.

He heard a loud roar come from off to his right, a roar that could only come from a male lion as large as Simba. He ran toward the sound, dodging another lion's claws. Then, he saw him! There was Simba! Currently, he was sparring with Macho and a female hyena called Uchovo. Two against one. Banzai could make it three.

Simba took a swipe at Macho, which Macho sidestepped. Uchovu lashed out at Simba's outstretched paw, and scored a gash on the limb. Simba growled, and quickly retracted his attack. Banzai ran around them, hoping to get Simba from behind.

Macho returned Simba's attack, and stepped forward quickly to achieve a hit. Simba stepped even further back, and avoided Macho's paws. Banzai ran up to Simba while he growled at Macho, and jumped onto his back.

He opened his jaws and did his best to try to bite Simba's neck. That was the easiest killing blow there was. One quick snap, and an animal was dead. Simba's mane was too thick though, and try as he might, he couldn't get to the vulnerable part before Simba threw him off.

He landed next to Macho, and thanked the sand for the soft landing. He got back up, and turned to face the king with his companions.

"Come on guys, spread out around him." Suggested Uchovu, trying to sound forceful. But her panting made it clear she was exhausted.

"No! Come on guys, this is our chance! Kill him!" Shouted Banzai, as he took another step toward the lion. But Simba wasn't waiting for his foes to come to him. With a growl, he jumped at the three hyenas, with murderous intent.

Caught of gaurd, all three of the hyenas we thrown to their backs, skidding across the sand. Before Banzai could recover, he felt long, sharp claws dig into his shoulders again, opening his previous wounds even further. Simba stood above him, snarling with fury. Banzai tried to push him off, but he was too weak!

The sprint, and the fight up till now, short as it was, had worn Banzai down. He tried to push with all his might, but he had no energy left!

"You... Fucking….. lions!" Yelled Banzai, during his last attempt to escape his adversary.

Simba simply raised his other paw, with a hardened expression on his face.

That was that. He had failed. And now, he was going to die, killed by the same lion that had thrown Shenzi to her death. Behind him, he could see Macho and Uchovu lying in the sand, unconscious. He saw Ed being clawed across the muzzle by a lioness. And all around him, there were other hyenas bodies, lying very, very still and bloodied. There were still some scraps continuing, but by now, all the hyenas were either defeated or had fled. Simba was just mopping up.

Banzai closed his eyes as Simba's paw came down, intent on dealing the killing blow.

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Kiara's POV

"Hey guys…. The tracks definitely lead into the desert!" Called Kovu, as he followed the trail of hyena pawprints. Shenzi was leaning on Kiara, with Shenzi's only two mobile legs forcing Kiara to go slowly.

"The desert? It just makes no sense! There's no point in entering the desert!" Fumed Shenzi, as she tried to make sense of the information.

"Well…. If lions are searching for them, the desert is a good spot to hide." Mused Kiara.

"Yeah…. A good spot to hide, nevermind the complete lack of food and water." Replied Shenzi.

"No matter. Their tracks lead this way, so we go this way." Affirmed Kovu.

"I suppose that's logic for ya." Muttered Shenzi under her breath. Kiara and Shenzi continued to follow Kovu, now across the sand. It was much easier to follow the tracks now, since it was easy to follow impressions in the sand.

They climbed up and over a small dune, with sand now rubbing in between their toes. Kiara figured it would take ages to get it all out of her fur. But she knew it was a necessary, so she suffered it silently. And anyhow, sand in one's fur was hardly a suffering when she compared it to Shenzi, who had endured so much already.

Then, as they approached another dune, Kiara saw a scene that made her heart stop.

Scattered all across the sand, not moving, were hyenas. Many of them were bleeding, and lying in estranged positions, spread out on their backs and sides.

"What happened here?" Gasped Kovu, as he surveyed the bodies.

"What? What are you talking about?" Asked Shenzi, still completely oblivious to the scene around her.

"Are they all dead?" Whispered Kiara, completely appalled by the site of the bodies.

"Who? Come on guys, you know I can't see! Tell me what's going on!" Demanded Shenzi, getting frustrated again.

"Hyenas. There are motionless hyenas lying around us." Replied Kiara, albeit hesitantly.

"What? Who! Which ones? And…Are they hurt?" Exclaimed Shenzi, taken by surprise. Kovu nudged one of the fallen animals, inspecting it closely.

"This one's dead." He declared, as he moved on to the next one. Then, Kovu let out another gasp as he reached to nudge the body. "I recognize this one! I think.. Is this one called Banzai?" He asked.

"What! Banzai! Where? Where's Banzai? Is he… Is he dead?" Cried out Shenzi, now very distressed.

"I… I can't tell." Announced Kovu, as he looked down at the gray body, covered in red blood. "He looks pretty bad though. And he's not moving either."

"But… Banzai can't be dead! He…. He just can't! He can't!" Exclaimed Shenzi, visibly very worried.

"I'm sorry Shenzi… I, well it doesn't look good."

"No! No! He wasn't supposed to die! Anyone else, anyone else at all! Just not him!" Cried Shenzi. She slumped down onto the ground, and lay on her side, sobbing. Kiara didn't know what to do. Clearly, this had pushed Shenzi past her breaking point. There was only so much misery an animal could endure before losing it.

Kiara thought Shenzi had lost it when she had found out her back had been broken. But now, this was just letting out her emotions, of all the misfortune she had experienced, and doing it naturally, through crying. Kiara knew Shenzi prided herself on being tough, but it must have all just been too much for her.

She looked over at Kovu, who met her gaze with a somber expression. They both knew they should leave Shenzi alone, but they were unwilling to leave her side. If Shenzi needed support, they would offer it.

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Banzai's POV

Banzai slowly opened his eyes, feeling like fireworks were happening inside his head.

"Ugh… Man, he really did a number on me." He muttered to himself, as he tried to get back up to his feet.

Man… His shoulders really stung. Not surprisingly, since he had been clawed there twice, once by Simba himself. At least he was alive, he figured that was always good news. Once back up, he shook his head a bit to clear it, then looked around.

Immediately, he almost cried out, all around him where the bodies of his comrades, lying motionless in the sand. He couldn't tell if any of them were dead, but they were all hurt, and none of them were conscious.

Then, he heard the sound of sobbing reach his ears. He turned around, and saw, down at the bottom of the dune, a female hyena lying on the ground and crying. Around her were two lions he instantly recognized, Kovu and Kiara! What were they doing here?

Then, he recognized the hyena the lions were sitting next to.

His eyes widened, and he had to rub them, to make sure he wasn't seeing things. He also took the liberty to pinch himself, just to make sure he wasn't dreaming.

No, this wasn't a dream. Which could only mean one thing.

That really was Shenzi! Banzai's jaw dropped, as he stared down at his lifelong friend, who was sitting there, not five yards away from him. But how had she survived? He had found her dead, lifeless body! He had sat there and cried over it, and now, somehow, here she was, perfectly alive and well!

It was a miracle! Then, another fact registered in Banzai's happiness ridden brain. Shenzi was crying. Which meant she was sad about something. If he started whooping with joy, it might make her angry. And that was something he didn't want.

He slowly trotted up to her, limping slightly as he winced from his wounds. When he reached her, still not having made a sound, he walked in between the two lions, who didn't notice him, and quietly asked. "What's wrong Shenzi?"

The effect was immediate. Shenzi suddenly stopped crying and and turned around to face Banzai.

"Banzai? Is that you?" She asked, incredulously.

"Well yes. It's me. But, what was wrong?" He asked, staying timid.

"What was wrong? You were wrong Banzai! I thought you were dead!" Exclaimed Shenzi, now grinning from joy.

"Nope. Simba clawed me real well, but it's going to take more than that to send me from this lifetime." He replied, catching on the Shenzi's happiness.

"Come here Banzai! Come up to me!" She ordered suddenly. Banzai complied. Shenzi raised one of her paws and touched him on the head, as if to affirm he was there. Then, she raised her own head up, and licked him on the side of his muzzle.

He drew his head back in surprise. Shenzi grinned in response. Feeling it necessary, he leaned down and licked her back. She continued to grin, clearly happy.

"So… Reunions, huh?" Interrupted the lion called Kovu.

"Shush Kovu! They're having a moment together alright!" Snapped the lioness called Kiara.

"No, no, it's fine." Said Shenzi, as she nodded her head. "What's a bit more important right now is that we go and check for any more survivors."

"Oh yeah…. I suppose we should." Replied Banzai, somewhat hesitantly. Shenzi was back with him! All was right in the world, the last thing he needed was to go and find that the rest of his friends were dead.

Kovu and Banzai marched up the hill, nudged hyenas and checking for breathing. All in all, one female had died, and two males. The rest were simply unconscious, and would wake up soon. Ed, Macho, and Fahama had all made it through.

Eventually, the hyenas began to regain consciousness. Many of them expressed great happiness at the return of their Matriarch, and Fahama had relinquished her leadership back to Shenzi, who was the official leader anyways. The ones who were dead were buried with the help of Kovu, and Shenzi had bade farewell to her two lions friends.

"Goodbye then Kiara. Cya Kovu. Thanks for the help." She said.

"We were happy to help. I hope you find a good home, wherever it is you're going." Expressed Kiara.

"Yeah, good luck to you." Added Kovu. With their farewells in order, the two lions turned back around and began to walk over the sand back to the Pridelands. Shenzi and Banzai had also turned around, and were now on their way across the desert, following the pawprints of the hyenas who had continued running.

"So Shenzi, you ever going to tell me how you survived that fall?" Asked Banzai, as they strode through the landscape. Shenzi was leaning onto him for support, and Macho, Fahama, and Ed were lined up next to them, with the rest of the fight survivors behind them. None had escaped unscathed, but everyone of them could walk. And so that's what they did.

"Eventually, I probably will. But I don't feel like it right now." She replied.

"Oh well. At least things seemed to work out. I mean, in total we lost about half of our previous number over the last few days, but at least we're finally leaving that stinking Graveyard and those Lions behind once and for all." Said Banzai, as he gazed out at the dunes.

"Yeah. We probably should have tried this sooner. We may all still starve on the journey across though, you know that." Said Fahama, returning Banzai's statement.

"Eh, if Simba managed it as a cub, we might be able to too." Replied Banzai.

"Well, I guess all we can do is hope, aye?" Added Macho, finally getting back into his old personality.

"Indeed. Here's to a better future." Added Shenzi. Ed let out a laugh in agreement.

The sun started to set as the overly optimistic group of hyenas continued on their way across the sea of sand.

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Kovu's POV

Well, I suppose that worked out." Said Kovu, as he and Kiara re-enters the Pridelands.

"I guess it kinda did. Now, the only bump in the road will be if daddy's still angry." Replied Kiara.

"He probably won't be. Plus, I don't think he could ever stay mad at his little angel." Said Kovu, as he pranced in front of Kiara.

"Hey Kovu, how about we race back to Pride Rock?" She asked, grinning at her mate.

"Oh you're on!" He replied, returning that grin. As the sun began to set, the two sprinted over the lush savannah, making their way back home.

The End

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 **And….. That is the end of this tale. Since this was the last chapter, be sure to leave a review! Preferably, one that answers these questions:**

 **1\. Do you think I did a good job of showing the better side of the hyenas?**

 **2\. Do you think I might have demonized Simba a little bit? (I hope not.)**

 **3\. Did I tell this story with good grammar, and good writing?**

 **4\. Should I make a sequel?**

 **5\. Who here ships Shenzi and Banzai?**

 **Well, that's that. And by the way, please do leave a review. Especially since this is the last chapter. Even if you stumbled across this sometime in 2020 or 2025, I'll probably still be active. I plan to stick around for a long time. Anyhow, thanks for reading, And I'll see you all later**!


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